A regulated class struggle? Minimum wage policies in a growth regime

How are the demands and claims of groups and individuals regarding situations of precarity, in their various forms, addressed by actors and public authorities? Rather than a classical presentation that separates trade union action, social mobilisations, and public policies, this chapter illustrates that the treatment of precariousness—such as through minimum wage policies—encounters opposing forces and interests. It examines these confrontations, conflicts, and negotiations by exploring the different negotiation arenas in which they manifest. It also suggests how, and to what extent, forms of social pressure ‘from below’ (which likely differ between Western Europe-Japan and Socialist Europe-China) have influenced negotiations within joint or tripartite settings, and the decisions made by states and employers.