Employment, Trade Unionism, and Class: The Labour Market in Southern Europe since the Crisis

The economic crisis in southern Europe has reshaped the labor market and class structure, and this book provides a critical comparative assessment of the dynamics of change in the employment field. It examines the forces, agents, contexts, and mechanisms shaping the employment and industrial relations systems in Spain, Greece, and Cyprus, and discusses the interplay of external and internal dynamics in the restructuring of the labor field. The book will be of value to researchers, academics, professionals, and students working on issues of employment and industrial relations, labor market and labor law, political economy and class structure, and the contemporary society and economy of southern Europe.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 31 May 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The economic crisis has brought about a significant transformation in institutional, political, and social relations, reshaping the labor market and class structure in Southern Europe. In response to this crisis, this book offers a critical comparative analysis of the dynamics of change in the employment field, focusing on Spain, Greece, and Cyprus. The book assesses how liberalization and deregulation processes, along with the promotion of market-enhancing reforms, unfolded in these three distinct national contexts, identifying the forces, agents, contexts, and mechanisms that shaped the employment and industrial relations systems. By adopting a comparative perspective, the book unravels the intricate interplay of external and internal dynamics in the restructuring of the labor field in Southern Europe, examining the impact of austerity measures in conjunction with prevailing societal ideologies and class shifts.

The first part of the book establishes the theoretical and historical context, while the second section comprises three empirical national case studies. The third part discusses comparatively the handling of the crisis, its impact, and its legacy from the perspective of a decade later. The book presents a nuanced understanding of differences in industrial relations systems, trade union forms, and class composition dynamics, accounting for the development of the crisis and the subsequent reshaping of the employment field after one decade of crisis.

This book is of immense value to researchers, academics, professionals, and students engaged in the study of employment and industrial relations, labor market and labor law, political economy and class structure, as well as those interested in the contemporary society and economy of Southern Europe, particularly Spain, Greece, and Cyprus. It provides valuable insights and perspectives that will contribute to our understanding of these critical issues.

Weight: 412g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032039633