PRECARIOUS WORK IN THE CRISIS Kristin Carls (external collaborator ACTRAV/ITCILO)

Precarious work in the crisis Three issues: quantitative development: temporary + part time + own account work regulations: legislation + social dialogue + collective bargaining union activities Definition: precarious work = fewer rights + protections

(A) Potentially precarious employment in Europe in 2010 EU 27 average all workers EU27 Youth (15-24) Part time 18.5% 29% Temporary 13.9% 42.2% Own account 10.2% 3.6%

Who is most precarious youth  but also oldest workforce fractions low paid and low skilled jobs & less educated workers  but also highly qualified + managerial positions women men = physically hard working conditions women = low pay

Regional patterns (2010) shares above EU-average: part time = only old member states temporary employment = old member states & Poland + Slovenia own account labour = southern + central-eastern + anglo-saxon countries lowest shares for all categories: Baltic States

Labour market developments during the crisis Unemployment in Europe annual increase in unemployment (2008-2009) unemployment rate in 2010 annual increase in youth unemployment (2008-2009) youth unemployment rate in 2010 EU27 +1.9%points 9.7% +4.5%points 20.8% highest country values 3x EE + LT 2x IR + LV +6%-points: ES+DK 17-20%: ES + LV+EE+LT +15-20%-points: LV+EE+LT; +10-15%-points: ES+IR > 30%: & SL+EL

Potentially precarious employment during the crisis Pre-crisis years Early crisis year(s) Later crisis years (EU27, annual growth in %-points) Temporary employment slow-down: +0.8/2005 +0.5/2006 +0.1/2007 step fall: -0.5/2008 -0.5/2009 reincrease: +0.3/2010 Part time slow-down: +0.6/2005 +0.2/2006 growth stop in 2008 re-accelerated growth: +0.5%/2009 +0.4%/2010 Own account labour very moderate decrease -0.07/2006 -0.09/2007) slightly accelerated decrease: -0.19%/2008 moderate reincrease: +0.13/2009 +0.29/2010

Potentially precarious youth employment during the crisis Pre-crisis years Early crisis year(s) Later crisis years (EU27, annual growth in %-points) Temporary youth employment slow-down: +3.5/2005 +1.1/2006+07 step fall: -1.1/2008 immediate re-increase + re-acceleration: +0.3/2009 +1.7/2010 Part time youth employment slow-down only 2007: +0.7%/2005 +0.6/2006 +0.3%/2007 back to long-term growth rate: +0.6/2008 accelerated growth: +1.2/2009 +1.2/2010 Own acount youth labour nearly stable: -0.05/2006 +0.02/2007 moderate decrease: -0.2%p/ 2008 moderate reincrease: +0.12/2009 +0.14/2010

Country patterns <-> Initial levels of potentially precarious employment: Temp: largest annual crisis increases // lowest initial levels ES+SE+PL+SI+FI+PT & strongest temporary decreases // higher initial levels LV+SL+EE+HU+LT Part time + Own account: strong annual increases // high+low initial levels part time low: LT+LV+EE+RO+SI & part time high: AU+SE+DK+SE+AU+IR own account low: LU+SI+NL & own account high: SL+CZ+RO Own account: strong annual decreases own account // low initial levels LT+EE

Country patterns 2 <-> Crisis affection: Temporary + Part time: strongest annual changes // strongest crisis affection strong annual increases temporary employment: LV+EE+HU+LT strong annual decreases temporary employment: ES+SI+PT strong annual increases part time employment: LV+LT+EE+IR+SI+RO+DK Own account: strongest annual decreases // strongest crisis affection: LT+EE

changes in the share of own account labour 2007 - 2010 in % (Eurostat / Labour Force Survey)

(B) Labour market regulations during the crisis flexibilisation and welfare policies reregulation of precarious work restrictions enhancement of rights + protections survey results from 20 EU-countries

Flexibilisation nearly all survey countries (but HU + CY) issues: <-> strongest in LT, PL, RO, BU, CZ, SI, EL, IT, PT, ES, IR issues: flexibilisation of working times & easier use of part time + short-time work easier use of temporary employment & new forms of flexible employment experienced as imposed deregulation

Welfare policies Two phases: early crisis reactions: pointed extensions esp. unemployment + short-time working schemes extension of unemployment benefits in 17 EU-countries: LV, LT, PL, CZ, BU, RO, FI, SE, GE, AU, NL, BE, FR, IT, PT, ES, UK since 2009/2010: heavy retrenchment esp. social assistance + unemployment + maternity benefits nearly all survey countries (but BE, LU, CY) <-> strongest in LT, LV, CZ, RO, BU, EL, IT, ES, PT, IR, UK

Reregulation of potentially precarious employment some new restriction in 11 countries LT, EL, IT, PT, SI, IR, UK, PL, LU, BE, NL issues: maximum duration accepted reasons transformation working time flexibility some enhancements of rights+protections in 10 countries: EL, PT, IT, GE, CY, UK, SI, PL, BE, NL inclusion in short-time working schemes access to unemployment benefits equal treatment

Youth related measures: focus = ALMP + flexibilisation less initiatives to enhance rights+protections increased social security coverage: SI+EL+IT+ES & UK+AU+FR better transition opportunities: EL+PT  counter examples: reduced minimum wages: SE+EL reduced legal protections: SE+ES+NL restriction of unemployment benefits: FI+IR

Decent work outcomes?! limited efforts if compared to simultaneous flexibilisation all restricting countries // strong flexibilisation policies (besides SI) limited scope of enhancements of rights+protections temporary character  austerity policies

(C) Unions‘ activities recognition of precarioius work as policy issue: priorities: transformation + restrictions + rights/protections + ALMP less concrete activities: specific support structures versus universal approach organising: low-paid services & TAW + bogus self-employed + youth awareness raising + public opinion campaigns

Activities for young workers Activities for young workers in precarious employment: awareness raising + communication campaigns: topics: working+living conditions (SI/ZSSS) + internships (UK/TUC + IR/ICTU) methods: web-campaign (IT/CGIL) + action week (PT/CGTP)

Evaluations: examples for strong commitment: SI/ZSSS, IR/ICTU, UK/TUC, IT/CGIL, PT/CGTP, BE/ACV-CSC, NL/FNV  high shares or growth rates of potentially precarious employment  crisis = increased sensibility strong + weak points: reregulation of flexibility through social dialogue <-> but: degrading social dialogue campaigning on rights + protections <-> but: lacking effectiveness need for more attention + concrete action + organising

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