CESI Webinar – Precarious Work and Interest Representation – Prof. dr. Aurora Trif
2020-07-24 12:00
Precarious work contracts have been expanding in recent years across Europe. Prof. Dr. Aurora Trif presents a webinar dedicated to the actions trade unions can take to tackle this pressing issue, stressing that trade unions need to approach precarious work proactively and pragmatically.
Precarious working contracts have been expanding in the recent years, especially after the last global financial crisis. They are no longer an issue associated only with less skilled workers, and they are ever more present in the public sector too. As atypical work contracts are slowly becoming more and more of a new normal, it is more important than ever to address this pressing issue.
This webinar is hosted by Prof. Dr. Aurora Trif, Associate Professor at the Dublin City University and specialised in comparative employment relations, and features input by Ashling Seely, PhD student at Dublin City University, who is experienced in precarious work in the public sector.
Together they provide specific examples on how trade unions can take a pragmatic and proactive approach to tackle precarious working conditions.
They identify the following precarity dimensions: high job insecurity, low or uncertain income, irregular/uncertain working hours, lack of social benefits and lack of union representation. Against this background, Prof. Trif argues that trade unions should engage not only their members but the employers as well, and promote a win-win discourse. They should also strengthen horizontal and vertical links within the internal structure of the union, offer individual services and legal support, and use their external links and engage internationally.
Prof. Trif concludes that is vital for trade unions to reach out to precarious workers, not only to prevent the expansion of precarity, but also to increase their membership and ensure the maintenance and relevance of the unions in the future.
To watch the webinar please visit this link.
To find out more about this topic visit the No Precarious Work website.
Consult CESI’s position paper Future of work – A trade union perspective: Social protection, decent employment & interest representation here.
This project is mainly financed by funds from the European Union.
