''A de''ning feature of recent decades has been the rise in income inequality within many, but certainly not all, countries, and perhaps most spectacularly in the US and UK. The reigning explanation remains the orthodox story that it''s all about supply and demand.... A powerful and welcome antidote, the essays in this ?ne book make the case that strong institutions are not only "the building blocks of just societies", but can be, if well-designed, fully consistent with high employment and dynamic economies.''- David R. Howell, New School for Public Engagement, New York, USLabour market institutions, including collective bargaining, the regulation of employment contracts and social protection policies, are instrumental for improving the well-being of workers, their families and society. In many countries, these institutions have been eroded, whilst in other countries they do not exist at all.

Preface James K. Galbraith 1. Labour Market Institutions: The Building Blocks of Just Societies Janine Berg PART I MACROECONOMIC POLICIES, DEVELOPMENT AND INEQUALITY 2. Economic Development and Inequality: Revisiting the Kuznets Curve Sangheon Lee, Megan Gerecke 3. Renewing the Full Employment Compact: Issues, Evidence and Policy Implications Iyanatul Islam, Martina Hengge PART II INCOME FROM WORK 4. Unions and Collective Bargaining Susan Hayter 5. Minimum Wages and Inequality Patrick Belser, Uma Rani 6. Temporary Contracts and Wage Inequality Sandrine Cazes, Juan Ramon De Laiglesia 7. The ''Deconstruction'' of Part-Time Work Jon C. Messenger, Nikhil Ray PART III SOCIAL TRANSFERS AND INCOME REDISTRIBUTION 8. Redistribution Policies Malte Luebker 9. Pensions and Other Social Security Income Transfers Christina Behrendt, John Woodall 10. Income Support for the Unemployed and the Poor Janine Berg 11. Public Social Services and Income Inequality Juliana Martinez Franzoni, Diego Sanchez-Ancochea PART IV THE IMPACT OF LABOUR MARKET INSTITUTIONS ON DIFFERENT GROUPS 12. Labour Market Institutions and Gender Equality Sarah Gammage 13. Inequalities and the Impact of Labour Market Institutions on Migrant Workers Christiane Kuptsch 14. Labour Market Inequality Between Youths and Adults: A Special Case? Gerhard Reinecke, Damian Grimshaw Index