Behind Migrant and Non‐Migrant Worktime Inequality in Europe: Institutional and Cultural Factors Explaining Differences

Abstract

Migrants often work longer hours than their non-migrant counterparts. In this article, we examine reasons behind this inequality, arguing that institutional working time configurations at the country level have impact on worktime inequality. Our crosscountry comparative study uses data from the European Labour Force Survey. We focus on France, Sweden, Austria and the UK as archetypal examples of working time configurations and breadwinner models in Europe. Our findings indicate that institutional and cultural factors play a role in working hour differences between migrants and non-migrants. We conclude that more centralized worktime regulation and bargaining foster equality, and we suggest several avenues for future research.

Labor and Inequalities: A Bibliometric Analysis of International Literature

“…The systematic review of the literature on inequalities in the world of labor has shown that this is a plural and complex theme, typical of social phenomena. It is examined under the gaze of various disciplines, such as sociology [13], economics [6], geography [4], administration [14] etc. ; approaches: qualitative [5], quantitative [3], and mixed [15]; research strategies, such as ethnography [16], case study [17], exploratory-descriptive studies [8], among others, and, consequently, different epistemological perspectives.…”

“…These differences can be observed in various aspects concerning the organization and division of labor, such as hiring, promotion, demotion, allocation in positions of authority [13,22], working hours [14], remuneration [6], performance assessment [23], occupational status [9], dismissal [13], etc.…”

“…Among the main problems faced by international migrant workers, the following stand out: Racialized perceptions related to visible "social markers", such as skin color and belonging, problems related to cultural differences, dress codes [30]; difficulty with the recognition of their qualifications and finding work compatible to that in the country of origin [5,24], [18]; barriers regarding language mastery [5,24]; experience underemployment, devaluation, and downward mobility, forcing entry into ethnic and gender markets [18]; modern servitude and slavery, as in the case of the exploitation of diplomatic domestic workers, aggravated by the restrictive bond and work authorization for a single family [31]; differences in working hours [14]; low wages [32]; institutional and practical discrimination, affecting opportunities for professional progress [4]; among others.…”

“…Ortileb and Winterheller [14] demonstrated the relevance of institutional and cultural factors in promoting more egalitarian labor relations. Exploring the differences in the working hours between migrants and non-migrants in four European countries (France, Sweden, Austria, and the United Kingdom), the authors identified the preponderant role of the mode of regulation of the working hours and the "breadwinner models" iii of each country for equality or inequality at work.…”

The Promotional Effect of Health Education on the Medical Service Utilization of Migrants: Evidence From China

“…This means that, on average, one in four households is inhabited by a migrant. However, migrants are discriminated against in many areas of life, such as education, employment, income, social integration (5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12), and particularly health services (13)(14)(15)(16). Compared with residents with household registration (Hukou) of the inflow cities, the utilization of medical services by migrants is significantly lower.…”