Project:

The aim of the project is to understand processes through which social partners develop, pilot and implement active ageing interventions (including collective agreements) and reorient away from a collusion toward early retirement. European social partners have developed programmes to support older workers delay retirement and ASPIRE's aim is to understand how Industrial Relations (IR) systems can facilitate and/or inhibit such agreements.

ASPIRE research questions are:

1. How do different industrial relations (IR) structures facilitate and/or inhibit the dissemination and implementation of collective agreements on active ageing?
2. How are age and employment perceived in workplace contexts within different IR systems?
3. How do employers and trade unions respond to EU and national social activation policies in creating sustainable work opportunities for older workers?
4. How are the interests of older and younger workers negotiated and reconciled through workplace level mechanisms?
5. How are good practice and innovations in the dissemination of active ageing approaches shared between and within different national contexts and in Europe?

The project will be carried out through workshops with social partners, generating 140 hours of qualitative data. Effective negotiating strategies will be identified which can be shared and promoted through the use of educational and training resources and web-based tools. Policy implications for European Union and national governments and social partners will be developed and disseminated.