Keep Trying? Polish Failures and Half-successes in Social Pacting

Social dialogue in post-1989 Poland has followed a long and curvy road. Introduction of tripartism, establishment of social dialogue institutions and conclusion of the 'Pact on the Transformation of State Enterprise' in 1993 propelled high hopes and expectations towards the domestic mutation of neocorporatism. In the following years, however, social dialogue in Poland would not produce another social pact, despite the fact that tripartite institutions have been working on regular basis and number of minor agreements have been consensually reached. The overall reception of Polish social dialogue both locally and internationally has been mixed with negative opinions prevailing. The article aims to show that such dismissive views are oversimplified by providing an account of obstacles, functions, chances and achievements social dialogue has had in Poland in comparison to western countries that did sign social pacts.