In 2000 IISH researcher Sjaak van der Velden wrote a dissertation analysing 14,000 database records on Dutch strikes between 1830 and 1995. The IISH is about to publish this database on it's Website. In the mean time Van der Velden worked on another project, a database containing more than 800 records on Dutch lock-outs between 1830 and 2000. This data will also be published on the IISH-Website later this year.
Looking at the newly available lock-out data, we noticed that while strikes stayed an important phenomenon in Dutch labor relations, lock-outs withered away almost completely before the Second World War. Following a short upheaval directly after the War lock-outs became obsolete in the Netherlands. However, in some countries, like the United States, the lock-out remained a powerful weapon in the hands of corporations and employer associations until today. In other nations the lock-out seems to be non-existent throughout time, probably due to different ways of record keeping and/or legislation. Obviously there's a thin line between locking out and firing groups of workers.
In a labour network-session of the 2004 Berlin ESSH-Conference we will present two papers on Dutch lock-outs. In the first one, we will take a look at the overall-picture, in the second we will single out a few industries and trades, trying to explain the big differences in employer strategies using the lock-out as a weapon.
We would like to invite other interested scholars to present and analyse lock-out data from their countries and to reflect on international differences. Paper proposals can be submitted via www.iisg.nl/esshc/register.html.
Sjaak van der Velden ([MAILTO]svv@iisg.nl[/MAILTO])
Henk Wals ([MAILTO]hwa@iisg.nl[/MAILTO])
International Institute of Social History
Cruquiusweg 31
1019 AT Amsterdam
Phone +31-20-6685866