Barbier CNRS Université Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne CES Matisse 1 Flexicurity and transitional labour markets Jean-Claude Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Centre d’économie de la Sorbonne [email protected]International seminar Cicero Foundation, 11-12 October, 2007, Paris
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Barbier CNRS Université Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne CES Matisse 1 Flexicurity and transitional labour markets Jean-Claude Barbier CNRS Université Paris1.
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Barbier CNRS Université Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne CES Matisse
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Flexicurity and transitional labour markets
Jean-Claude BarbierCNRS Université Paris1Centre d’économie de la Sorbonne
Barbier CNRS Université Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne CES Matisse
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Marrying TLM and ‘flexicurity’?
A marriage entails the clarification of certain things
Can flexicurity match TLM basic values (principles) ?
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Flexicurity = a polysemous notion
Flexicurity as a system of social arrangements (complementarities) that produce a balance [1]
Flexicurity as a strategy [2]
Flexicurity as apolitical slogan
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Flexicurity as a system [1]
Yielding a balance Identifying the balance: a sociological
task
=> identifying national cases: Denmark and the Netherlands
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Identifying ‘flexicurity’: the inductive way
- the Netherlands, Wet Flexibiliteit en Sekerheid – 1999
- Denmark with the successive Rasmussen 1 (1993-2001) and Rasmussen 2 (2002-now) governments
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Danish and Dutch definitions (1) The canonical academic definition is
by T. Wilthagen (and colleagues): « a degree of job, employment, income and
combination security that facilitates the labour market careers and biographies of workers with a relatively weak position and allows for enduring and high quality labour market participation and social inclusion, while at the same time providing a degree of numerical (both external and internal), functionaland wage flexibility that allows for labour markets’ (and individual companies’) timely and adequate adjustment to changing conditions in order to maintain and enhance competitiveness and productivity » [quoted in Employment in Europe 2006, p. 77]
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Danish and Dutch definitions (2) The canonical definition is by Per Kongshøj
legislation on employment protection + generous social safety net for the unemployed + high (intensity) spending on ALMP]
[quoted from EiE, 2006, p. 78]
Peculiarities: other factors outside the ‘triangle’ play a role: history, macroeconomic policy
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The ambiguous definition of ‘employment protection’ [Labour Law] (OECD 2004)
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An evolving/elusive notion
Spotting differences in definitions
Flexicurity, Joint employment report, 2007 (EU)
Flexicurity should ease the transitions between different stages of working life. The internal and external components of flexicurity should mutually reinforce one another, so that at the same time the modernisation of labour law, investment in training and active labour markets, and the provision of adequate social protection and income security can take place in a context of modern work organisation. Flexicurity should also be conducive to addressing precariousness, reducing segmentation on the labour market, and combating undeclared work. The social partners have an important role to play here.
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The EU Commission’s recent definition
The Commission’s background document [20/4/07]
Flexible contractual arrangements (both from the perspective of the employer
and the employee) through modern labour laws and work organisations;
Active Labour Market Policies (ALMP) which effectively help people to cope
with rapid change, unemployment spells and transitions to new jobs;
Reliable and responsive lifelong learning (LLL) systems to ensure the continual adaptability and employability of workers;
Modern Social Security systems which provide adequate income support and
facilitate labour market mobility. This includes provisions that help people
combine work with private and family responsibilities, such as childcare.
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More..
The definition of the expert group’s interim report
Almost identical + fifth element
« it is important to add, as a kind of process variable: supportive and productive social dialogue »
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=>>Diversity of definitions
Diversity is here to stay in member states
The confusion between flexicurity as a system [1] and as a strategy [2]
=> leads to controversy
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A somehow contentious notion: political debate
Under an apparent consensus (2007 sample):- F. Müntefering: « ein Symbol » + « ein unechtes
Wort » [leichte Lösung, die es aber nicht gibt]- John Monks, ETUC (Sevilla) [au plan européen, cela
devient un menu à la carte]- Business Europe, de Buck [from a job preservation
mindset into a job creation mindset]- Polish economists [choosing the ‘American model?’
M.-J Radło, Warsaw]- Etc… Reluctance in certain ‘stakeholder’ groups
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The potential ‘fit’ between TLM and « flexicurity »
Two key elements at stake - strategies for ‘activating’ social
protection [Enhancing, Introducing systematic links between social protection and employment (labour force participation)]
- strategies for fostering the quality of jobs and preventing/decreasing segmentation and inequality
Barbier CNRS Université Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne CES Matisse