Draying and Picking: Precarious Work and Labor Action in the Logistics Sector

Jaffee, David; Bensman, David

doi:10.1111/wusa.12227

Cited by 26 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…Particularly, customer pressures with regard to price and flexibility led to labor outsourcing practices at least at one of the case companies. Such labor outsourcing enables companies to keep operations inside their warehouse facilities and, at the same time, flexibly react to changing customer requirements and order volumes (Jaffee and Bensman 2016).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tensions in sustainable warehousing: including the blue-collar perspective on automation and ergonomic workplace design

Gruchmann

Mies

Neukirchen³

et al. 2020

J Bus Econ

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In many industrial countries, demographic changes towards an aging society go hand in hand with the need for ergonomic workplaces. Therefore, it is necessary to rethink workplace designs and work processes, particularly in industrial professions, such as logistics. As logistics activities are still characterized by a high amount of manual effort, they represent a suitable field for gaining empirical insights into the implementation of automation and ergonomic practices to inform social sustainable warehousing logistics strategies. By assuming a paradox perspective, this study accordingly examines the research question to which extent tensions arise in the context of sustainable warehousing regarding the implementation of technical automation and improved ergonomic processes. To answer this question, automation and ergonomics practices are studied at two logistics service providers and an industrial manufacturer in Germany. By applying a mixed-methods approach, the study analyzes empirical data derived from semi-structured interviews with logistics and human resource managers at four warehouse sites of these companies. Besides identifying relevant criteria and paradoxical tensions in improving handling processes in the specific cases, technology alternatives were evaluated from blue-collar employees' perspectives using an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) survey. The present study provides evidence that paradoxical tensions with regard to belonging and performing, as well as between organizational levels and through the change process itself are most important in this context. In this line, the current study contributes to theory and practice by providing insights into paradoxical tensions in warehousing logistics and discussing how automation and ergonomic transformational processes can be successfully managed through addressing interrelated demands of blue-collar workers, managers, and customers.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tensions in sustainable warehousing: including the blue-collar perspective on automation and ergonomic workplace design

Gruchmann

Mies

Neukirchen³

et al. 2020

J Bus Econ

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show abstract

“…Recent works have started this undertaking, for example, by exploring the struggle of communities that are exposed to the toxic emissions from port and truck operations (De Lara, ), the neighborhood impact of mega‐DCs (Yuan, ), or Amazon.com fulfilment staff who are on strike for higher salaries and better working conditions (Huws, , p. 77). Given the advanced mix of information technology, big data surveillance and rigid corporate culture, it could be argued that the labor issue in most general terms provides substantial reason for concerns (Gregson, ; Gutelius, ; Hall, ; Jaffee & Bensman, ).…”

Section: Applying a Critical Lens—societal Context And The Dark Side mentioning

confidence: 99%

Logistics: Situating flows in a spatial context

Heße

2020

Geography Compass

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The origins of logistics lie in military and imperial methods of expansion and control of geographical space. It is principally associated with the more recent contexts of business management and engineering. Logistics systems are now the conveyor belts of the global system of trade, commerce and production, and its associated techniques and strategies aim at optimizing flows and throughput within discrete units (such as firms), in economic networks and across geographical space. Because flows are important determinants for the development of places, logistics has the power to structure territories. Therefore, it has raised considerable interest in the field of geography, not only with regard to cities and their dense agglomeration of people, buildings, and infrastructure but also in geopolitical terms as it fosters the exploration, control, and surveillance of areas. The paper presents a critical account of logistics operations and their relevance for the making (and unmaking) of territories, related policy dimensions, and future challenges for research.

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“…Regarding the road freight transport industry, international research has discussed the problem of fraudulent use of self-employment in the light of the deregulation and liberalization of this market and related changes in the industry structure, in business strategies and in industrial relations (Belzer 2000;Bensman 2009;2014: Jaffee andBensman 2016;Viscelli 2016). In European studies, the problem has mainly been related to the free movement of services and labor within the EU, including the possibility to exploit the economic and social cleft between East and West after the eastward enlargement of the Union in the 2000s (Hilal 2008;Thörnquist 2013Thörnquist , 2015Muller 2014;Broughton et al 2015;Guaman & Loffredo 2017;Haidinger 2017).…”

Section: The Aim Of the Papermentioning

confidence: 99%

Truck Drivers in the Grey Area between Employment and Self-employment: Swedish Experiences

Thörnquist

2019

NJWLS

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The paper addresses the problem of fraudulent contracting of work in the Swedish road freight transport industry with a focus on false (bogus) self-employment.The aim is to discuss the widersocial context of the problem and to illustrate the significance of the mandatory Swedish notion of employee when identifying and tackling misclassification of drivers’ employment status. By analyzing a case in this industry that has been tried in the Swedish Labor Court, and a related case that resulted in conciliation, the paper illustrates both the strength and limitation of labor law for couteracting disguised employment.The study also exemplifies why the notion of employee has been an argument against new regulations aimed to protect workers in the grey area between emploment and self-employment. In addition to written sources, the paper draws upon interviews with informants from the Swedish Transport Workers’ Union, the industry and the Swedish Tax Agency.

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Draying and Picking: Precarious Work and Labor Action in the Logistics Sector

Cited by 26 publications

References 45 publications

Tensions in sustainable warehousing: including the blue-collar perspective on automation and ergonomic workplace design

Tensions in sustainable warehousing: including the blue-collar perspective on automation and ergonomic workplace design

Logistics: Situating flows in a spatial context

Truck Drivers in the Grey Area between Employment and Self-employment: Swedish Experiences

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