Vulnerable workers, precarious work and the role of trade unions and HRM

Burgess, John; Connell, Julia; Winterton, Jonathan

doi:10.1080/09585192.2013.845420

Cited by 66 publications

(74 citation statements)

References 39 publications

(25 reference statements)

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“…Another explanation may be that this group, characterized by relatively low number of working hours (27 per week compared to 39 in the total study population) is specific to The Netherlands, where part-time work is more common than in other countries, especially among women (Roeters and Craig 2014). We identified one group that we labeled vulnerable multiple job holders, because this group combined precarious work and employment conditions with adverse personal characteristics, such as poor household financial situation (Burgess et al 2013). Many of these multiple job holders reported stress as a result of conflicting work schedules.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distinguishing groups and exploring health differences among multiple job holders aged 45 years and older

Bouwhuis

Hoekstra

Bongers

et al. 2018

Int Arch Occup Environ Health

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Purpose To identify distinct groups of older multiple job holders and to explore health differences between these groups. Methods We selected respondents from STREAM, a Dutch cohort study among persons aged 45 years and older, who reported having multiple jobs (N = 702). We applied latent class analysis to identify groups of multiple job holders. The association between these groups and health, measured with the SF-12, was studied cross-sectionally and longitudinally (1 year of follow-up), using linear regression analyses. Results Four groups of older multiple job holders were identified: (1) a vulnerable group (N = 145), who preferred having one job, and had jobs with high demands and low resources; (2) an indifferent group (N = 134), who did not experience many benefits or disadvantages of multiple job holding (MJH); (3) a satisfied hybrid group, who were all self-employed in their second job (N = 310); and (4) a satisfied combination group, who all had a second job as an employee (N = 113). Both the satisfied hybrid and satisfied combination groups preferred MJH and experienced benefits of it. At baseline, the vulnerable group experienced significantly lower physical and mental health than the other groups. We found no significant differences regarding changes in health after 1 year. Conclusions Four groups of older multiple job holders could be distinguished. The vulnerable group experienced lower physical and mental health at baseline than the other three groups. Policies and interventions supporting vulnerable multiple job holders may need to be developed. Future research is recommended to take heterogeneity among multiple job holders into account.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distinguishing groups and exploring health differences among multiple job holders aged 45 years and older

Bouwhuis

Hoekstra

Bongers

et al. 2018

Int Arch Occup Environ Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In precarious employment, the risk and expense of fluctuating employment needs has shifted from employers onto employees (Burgess et al 2013). This has long been recognised as impacting upon power relations between employers and employees (Burgess & Strachan 1999).…”

Section: Contextsmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Alongside concerns about the impact of highly precarious arrangements on workers is an awareness that particular groups of workers, such as new migrants, ethnic minorities, older workers, those with disabilities or with less skills, are more vulnerable in the labour market. (Burgess et al 2013). These workers are more likely to become trapped in precarious work such as casual work.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Work described as precarious offers little employment or income security to workers (Burgess et al 2013) and may demand high levels of employee flexibility in working arrangements. In Australia, 24% of workers are employed casually, which rises to 39% in the retail sector (ABS 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Precarious work arrangements are widely considered to negatively impact workers, particularly those in low-paid jobs where skills are unrecognised (Burgess et al 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Equally dressed-up, unequally casual: different experiences of precarious work in designer fashion retail boutiques

Johnson

2015

Labour & Industry: a journal of the social and economic rel

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Casual employment in Australia is highly precarious with minimal job security, and it is used heavily in the retail sector. With few legal entitlements, casual employment creates an unregulated space for workers and employers to negotiate work conditions. This underlies claims that casual employment increases flexibility for both employees and employers. However, with low employment security, casual workers have low workplace power to assert their preferences. At the same time, recent analysis shows that vulnerable workers are likely to get trapped in highly precarious work such as casual employment. This study explores the experience of 18 women working casually in designer fashion retail boutiques in Melbourne. Findings show that even in the same role in similar workplaces, some workers are able to broker better working conditions for themselves. Factors that improved participants' empowerment levels to seek better conditions were general knowledge of workplace rights and having a high workplace sense of entitlement. Those who had spent less time in the role had lower empowerment levels. The social class background of participants was an important underlying factor. The research finds that due to differences in individual agency, vulnerable workers receive inferior working conditions compared to their less vulnerable coworkers in equivalent roles.

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Analysing Atypical Workers’ Disadvantages in a Comparative Perspective

Bertolini

2020

Temporary Agency Workers in Italy and the UK

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Vulnerable workers, precarious work and the role of trade unions and HRM

Cited by 66 publications

References 39 publications

Distinguishing groups and exploring health differences among multiple job holders aged 45 years and older

Distinguishing groups and exploring health differences among multiple job holders aged 45 years and older

Equally dressed-up, unequally casual: different experiences of precarious work in designer fashion retail boutiques

Analysing Atypical Workers’ Disadvantages in a Comparative Perspective

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