The transformations of work in Europe: flexibility and social regulation Enzo Mingione University of Milan-Bicocca Rethymno, Crete 5-7– June 2008

Employment and Unemployment in Europe Trends of change Decline of breadwinner jobs Growth of women employment Increase of flexible jobs

Unemployment trends: post-industrial transformation pushed up Un., which stabilized between 5 and 10%. Structural growth of Un.’s eterogeinity and instability.

Decrease of breadwinner employment’s chances Decrease of employment in manifacturing sector (“fordist “ corporations, in particular) and in large bureaucracies. Increase of heterogeneous and less stable forms of employment in service sector. Male employment decreases but female employment increases more.

Growth of service jobs: from less than 40% (until 1970) to over 60% (last 90s)

Male employment trends: decline due mainly to increasing education

Female employment rates: constant and strong increase net of education growth.

Characteristics of female employment’s increase Higher incidence of non-standard jobs: 80% of part-time employees are women. Germany-France: similar trends, but…  G.: 40% women in part time, mainly working less than 20 h. per week  F.: 25% women in part time, mainly working more than 20 h. per week UK – Sweden: similar trends, but…  UK: like Germany, predominantly short and untenure part time  Sweden: even more than in France  good part time

Female part-time trends: increase mainly in countries starting with low employment rates Female part-time (% of employees) Oecd – national definition : France GermanyItalySpainSwedenUnited Kingdom

Different models of female part time’s ranges: Northern Europe, Germany and UK high level; France intermediate, Southern Europe low. Source: Eurostat

Temporary employment trends: increasing slowly towards a common level around 15% (exceptions: Spain and UK)

Temporary jobs Increase in all countries Concentrated among young people (15-24 y.)  More than 50% in Spain, Germany, France and Sweden Slightly higher among women Mostly between 8 and 15% of employees Spain and UK are exceptions:  Spain: 35% (strong increase between end of 80s and begin of 90s  UK: constantly around 5% because of Tatcher’s deregulation within standard occupation

Self-employment trends in industry and services: a different area of new flexibility, strongly differentiated among countries

Educational disadvantage: high level of education reduce gender disadvantage; low level push up it, in particular in Southern Europe. Educational disadvantage is higher among women than men. Source: Eurostat

New social regulation of heterogeneous and unstable jobs 3 main areas of tensions between (new forms of) work and social organization  Non standard jobs for high qualified workers  Low income jobs (low qualified natives; migrants and minorities)  Conciliation between work and family care

Employment and motherhood an example from Great Britain: among low educated, more ethnic disadvantage