New Horizons in Social Policy? Changing German Trade Union Influence on Social Policy Reform Process

Whereas the strong role of German trade unions influence in social policy during the expansion of the German welfare state is uncontested, its impact on the so called retrench- ment-period since the 1990s is doubtful. Several experts even predict the end of corpora- tism. Nevertheless, in this study we assume an expansion of social policy programs. The influence of unions rises simultaneously because of their growing power resources and other circumstances, which are analyzed systematically.