Challenging the Market: The Struggle to Regulate Work and IncomeFor two decades economic and social policy in most of the world has been guided by the notion that economies function best when they are fully exposed to competitive market forces. In labour market policy, this approach is reflected in the widespread emphasis on "flexibility" - a euphemism for the retrenchment of income support and social security, the relaxation of labour market regulations, and the enhanced power of private actors to determine the terms of the employment relationship. These strategies have had marked effects on labour market outcomes, leading to greater vulnerability and polarization - and not always in ways that enhance worker-centred flexibility. The authors offer a more balanced analysis of the functioning and effects of labour market regulation and deregulation. By questioning the underpinnings of the "flexibility" paradigm, and revealing its often damaging impacts (on different countries, sectors, and constituencies), they challenge the conclusion that unregulated market forces produce optimal labour market outcomes. The authors conclude with several suggestions for how labour policy could be reformulated to promote both efficiency and equity. |
Contents
Challenging the Market The Struggle to Regulate Work and Income | 3 |
THE CHANGING ECONOMICS OF LABOUR MARKET REGULATION | 31 |
The NAIRU Labour Market Flexibility and Full Employment | 33 |
The Causes of High Unemployment Labour Market Sclerosis versus Macroeconomic Policy | 51 |
Institutions and Policies for Labour Market Success in Four Small European Countries | 75 |
DEVELOPMENTS IN LABOUR MARKET STRUCTURE | 95 |
Challenging Segmentation in South Africas Labour Market Regulated Flexibility or Flexible Regulation? | 97 |
The Russian Reforms and Their Impact on Labour A Transition to What? | 119 |
Towards Perfect Flexibility Youth as an Industrial Reserve Army for the New Economy | 205 |
The Crisis in Rural Labour Markets Failures and Challenges for Regulation | 227 |
Technology Gender and Regulation Call Centres in New Brunswick | 246 |
Neoliberalism Social Democracy and the Struggle to Improve Labour Standards for Parttime Workers in Saskatchewan | 265 |
ALTERNATIVE VISIONS | 287 |
Labour Market Deregulation and the US LivingWage Movement | 289 |
Gendered Resistance Organizing Justice for Janitors in Los Angeles | 309 |
Labours Current Organizational Struggles in Argentina Towards a New Beginning? | 330 |
Deregulating Industrial Relations in the Apparel Sector The Decree System in Quebec | 135 |
European Labour Market Regulation The Case of European Works Councils | 151 |
THE DIFFERENTIAL EFFECTS OF LABOUR MARKET DEREGULATION | 173 |
Racializing the Division of Labour Neoliberal Restructuring and the Economic Segregation of Canadas Racialized Groups | 175 |
Critical Times for French Employment Regulation The 35Hour Week and the Challenge to Social Partnership | 346 |
How Credible Are International Corporate Labour Codes? Monitoring Global Production Chains | 365 |
Contributors | 385 |
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Common terms and phrases
agreements average bargaining benefits BMW's Brunswick call centres Canadian Labour capital casual cent challenges changes chapter CNPF competition contract costs decline decree system deregulation economic employers European EWC members federal firms flexibility four countries full-time gender global growth immigrants income increase industrial relations inequality inflation interest rates International Labour Organization janitors Justice for Janitors labour force labour market institutions labour market policy labour market regulation labour standards laws legislation Living Wage living-wage macroeconomic Medef ment monitoring NAIRU NBTel neoliberal nomic non-standard non-union OECD ordinances Ottawa part-time Peronist ployment political production programs racialized group members reforms Research restructuring retail Rover rural Saskatchewan sectors Sellière social reproduction Statistics Canada strategy structural tion Tony Woodley Toronto trade unions trends unem unemployed unemployment rates union density United University variables Vosko women workers workforce workplace youth
Popular passages
Page 380 - The primary aim of this policy shall be to improve occupational safety and health and to prevent accidents and injury to health arising out of, linked with or occurring in the course of work...
References to this book
Work in Tumultuous Times: Critical Perspectives Vivian Shalla,Wallace Clement No preview available - 2007 |