scholarly journals Down but not out: Union strategies and power resources in response to liberalization and changes in national postal services – The cases of Spain and Belgium

2020 ◽  
pp. 095968012098067
Author(s):  
Sofía Pérez de Guzmán ◽  
Esteban Martínez ◽  
Ester Ulloa
Keyword(s):  
Working Conditions ◽  
Industrial Relations ◽  
Power Resources ◽  
Strategic Capacity ◽  
Postal Services ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Postal Sector ◽  
Market Pressures

This article analyses national postal services unions’ strategic capacity in Spain and Belgium in response to the effects of liberalization and changes in the postal sector. The analysis shows, first, that despite having had to operate in a hostile context, Correos and bpost unions have been able to mobilize their power resources to resist the impact of market pressures on employment and working conditions. Second, it detects the relevance of national industrial relations institutions in order to understand the strategies unions adopt.

The Labour Relations of New Zealand's Health Reforms

1999 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-71
Author(s):  
Kurt Wetzel
Keyword(s):  
Industrial Relations ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Public Health Care ◽  
Labour Law ◽  
Service Workers ◽  
State Sector ◽  
Labour Relations ◽  
Radical State ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Market Pressures

This paper examines factors contributing to the environment within which reform of New Zealnnd's public health care and its industrial relations system occurred. These include radical state sector; health and labour law reforms that marketised the health sector, decentralised bargaining, the ending of compulsory union membership and the elimination of the requirement that employers bargain 'in good faith'. The paper examines the implementation of these changes and their impact on various unions. Domestic service workers have fared poorly, while medical specialists have benefited from the reforms. The impact on nursing and support staff unions has varied according to regional and market pressures for different occupations. Various union strategies and structures are examined. The paper concludes that reform has ended the exceptionalism of labour relations in New Zealand.

scholarly journals Trade union strategies in the age of austerity: The Romanian public sector in comparative perspective

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dragoș Adăscăliței ◽  
Aurelian Muntean
Keyword(s):  
Economic Crisis ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Trade Union ◽  
Trade Unions ◽  
National Level ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
Power Resources ◽  
Union Democracy ◽  
Wage Increases ◽  
The Impact

This article examines the impact of the economic crisis and its aftermath on collective bargaining, by comparing reactions to austerity policies of trade unions in healthcare and education in Romania. We develop an encompassing theoretical framework that links strategies used by trade unions with power resources, costs and union democracy. In a tight labour market generated by the massive emigration of doctors, unions in healthcare have successfully deployed their resources to advance their interests and obtain significant wage increases and better working conditions. We also show that in the aftermath of the crisis, healthcare trade unions have redefined their strategies and adopted a more militant stance based on a combination of local strikes, strike threats and temporary alliances with various stakeholders. By comparison, we find that unions in the education sector have adopted less effective strategies built around negotiations with governments combined with national-level militancy.

British Trade Unionism 1979-89: Change, Continuity and Contradictions

1990 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 29-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Kelly
Keyword(s):  
Union Membership ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Industrial Relations ◽  
Occupational Structure ◽  
Worker Attitudes ◽  
Power Resources ◽  
Trade Unionism ◽  
British Trade ◽  
Core Elements ◽  
The Impact

The paper begins by briefly documenting many of the changes that have occurred in the 1980s in union membership, occupational structure, strikes, etc. and sets out to compare two interpretations: (i) that these represent a secular transformation towards a new industrial relations, (ii) that they constitute a largely cyclical phenomenon. Whilst there are clearly elements of both modes of change, it is argued that in terms of core elements of industrial relations - the power, interests and relations between the parties - the cyclical hypothesis is much nearer the truth. The paper uses Batstone's (1988) model of power resources to analyse the impact of changes and trends in labour markets, product markets, employer and union strategies, production systems and worker attitudes. In some cases, e.g. worker attitudes, there has been little basic change; in others, e.g. production systems, the effects have been variable; in others again, e.g. state and employer strategies, the effects have sometimes been the opposite of those intended. The paper ends by looking at several explanations for these results.

Self-assessment by medical workers of the degree of influence of working conditions on the development of occupational diseases

2019 ◽  
pp. 463-467 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. N. Petrukhin ◽  
O. N. Andreenko ◽  
I. V. Boyko ◽  
S. V. Grebenkov
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Occupational Diseases ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Medical Personnel ◽  
Long Term Memory ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Medical Institutions ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
The Impact

Introduction. The activities of health workers are associated with the impact of many harmful factors that lead to loss of health. Compared with other professional groups, health care workers are ill longer and harder, which may be due to polymorbidity pathology.The aim of the study based on the survey data to study the representation of health workers about working conditions and to identify their impact on the formation of occupational diseases.Materials and methods. In order to get a real idea of the attitude of medical workers to their working conditions in 2018, an anonymous survey was conducted of 1129 doctors and 776 employees of secondary and junior medical personnel working in health care institutions in St. Petersburg, Moscow, Krasnoyarsk, Vologda and Orel.Results. Research of working conditions and health of physicians allowed to establish that work in medical institutions imposes considerable requirements to an organism of working, its physical condition and endurance, volume of operational and long-term memory, ability to resist to mental, moral and ethical overloads.Conclusions: The most important method of combating the development of occupational diseases is their prevention. Organizational and preventive measures should be aimed primarily at monitoring the working conditions and health of medical staff .

Working conditions and occupational pathology of coal miners in the Arctic

2019 ◽  
pp. 452-457 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. A. Gorbanev ◽  
S. A. Syurin ◽  
N. M. Frolova
Keyword(s):  
Coal Mining ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Occupational Diseases ◽  
Climatic Factors ◽  
Coal Mines ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Morbidity Rate ◽  
Coal Miners ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Impact

Introduction. Due to the impact of adverse working conditions and climate, workers in coal-mining enterprises in the Arctic are at increased risk of occupational diseases (OD).The aim of the study was to study the working conditions, causes, structure and prevalence of occupational diseases in miners of coal mines in the Arctic.Materials and methods. Th e data of social and hygienic monitoring “Working conditions and occupational morbidity” of the population of Vorkuta and Chukotka Autonomous District in 2007–2017 are studied.Results. It was established that in 2007–2017 years, 2,296 ODs were diagnosed for the first time in 1851 coal mines, mainly in the drifters, clearing face miners, repairmen and machinists of mining excavating machines. Most often, the ODs occurred when exposed to the severity of labor, fibrogenic aerosols and hand-arm vibration. The development of professional pathology in 98% of cases was due to design flaws of machines and mechanisms, as well as imperfections of workplaces and technological processes. Diseases of the musculoskeletal system (36.2%), respiratory organs (28.9%) and nervous system (22.5%) prevailed in the structure of professional pathology of miners of coal mines. Among the three most common nosological forms of OD were radiculopathy (32.1%), chronic bronchitis (27.7%) and mono-polyneuropathy (15.4%). In 2017, coal miners in the Arctic had a professional morbidity rate of 2.82 times higher than the national rates for coal mining.Conclusions. To preserve the health of miners of coal mining enterprises, technical measures to improve working conditions and medical interventions aimed at increasing the body’s resistance to the effects of harmful production and climatic factors are necessary.

Working conditions and the formation of health risks among workers of the petrochemical industry engaged in the production of methanol and its derivatives

2019 ◽  
pp. 266-271
Author(s):  
Nina M. Meshchakova ◽  
Marina P. Dyakovich ◽  
Salim F. Shayakhmetov
Keyword(s):  
Working Conditions ◽  
Health Risks ◽  
Quantitative Assessment ◽  
Circulatory System ◽  
Medical Examination ◽  
Physical Factors ◽  
Labor Intensity ◽  
Industrial Noise ◽  
Harmful Substances ◽  
The Impact

Introduction.Methanol and its derivatives occupy one of the leading places among the main organic synthesis intermediates in terms of their importance and scale of production. According to experts, by 2027 the global demand for methanol can reach 135 million tons, the annual growth will be about 5.5%. However, there is little information regarding the assessment of working conditions and occupational risks for workers in modern methanol production and its derivatives.The aim of the studyis hygienic assessment of working conditions and the formation of health risks in workers of modern production of methanol and methylamines.Materials and methods.The assessment of the main adverse factors of production is given. When studying the state of health, objective indicators (the results of an in-depth medical examination) and subjective (the results of a quantitative assessment of the risks of the main pathological syndromes associated with health) are considered.Results.According to long-term observations, the concentration of harmful substances in the air of the working area, indicators of labor severity, parameters of physical factors met hygienic requirements, with the exception of industrial noise exceeding the maximum permissible level, as well as labor intensity of 1 degree. The General assessment of working conditions corresponds to the category of harmful 2 degrees (3.2). According to the results of the medical examination and quantitative assessment of the risks of health disorders in workers, the most significant were functional disorders and diseases of the circulatory system. The levels of somatic pathology on the part of the main body systems were significantly higher in apparatchiks compared to the engineering and technical personnel (ETP).Conclusions:In the production of methyl alcohol and methylamines, the main hygienic importance is the impact on workers of the complex of harmful substances of 1-IV hazard classes in low concentrations, increased levels of industrial noise, labor intensity of 1 degree. According to the subjective assessment of health and medical examination, the greatest prevalence of health risks in workers was observed from the circulatory system, and the levels of the revealed somatic pathology were statistically significantly higher in apparatchiks compared with the ETP.

Surveying adherence of dental clinic patients to preventive measures in oral cavity

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. V. Kudryavtseva ◽  
V. V. Tachalov ◽  
E. S. Loboda ◽  
L. Yu. Orekhova ◽  
E. Yu. Nechai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oral Cavity ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Oral Hygiene ◽  
Preventive Measures ◽  
Periodontal Diseases ◽  
Dental Health ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Dental Clinic ◽  
The Many ◽  
The Impact

Relevance. Periodontal diseases are a medical and social problem due to the wide spread among the population of developed countries and the impact on the quality of life. Among the many factors that are important in the development of inflammatory periodontal diseases, an important role is played by adherence to the recommendations of the dentist in respecting oral hygiene. Aim of the work was to study the adherence of patients of the dental clinic to compliance with preventive measures in the oral cavity.Materials and methods. A total of 98 patients of dental clinic, 62 female (medial age 38,6 ± 14,0 years) and 36 male (medial age 37,2±13,1 years) participated in survey. The study participants flled in the profle and answered questions about age, gender, harmful working conditions and bad habits, frequency of visits to the dental clinic, attitudes to the prevention of dental diseases, knowledge about the means and methods of oral hygiene.Results. As a result of the study, it was found that in the vast majority of cases, respondents are employed in production that does not adversely affect their health (91%), only 8% of patients indicated harmful working conditions.Conclusions. The study revealed that, despite the recommendations of the dentist, patients are not always committed to the implementation of preventive measures in the oral cavity. Dentists need to motivate patients to use not only the usual methods and means of hygiene, but also additional ones necessary for maintaining dental health.

Professional risk in processing processes complex (review of literature)

2020 ◽  
pp. 29-37
Author(s):  
L. Mavrina ◽  
E. Shaikhlislamova ◽  
I. Khasanova ◽  
L. Karimova ◽  
N. Muldasheva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Conditions ◽  
Urgent Problem ◽  
Review Of Literature ◽  
Complex Materials ◽  
Work Analysis ◽  
Production Factors ◽  
Bibliographic Data ◽  
Industrial Injuries ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Safe Working

The relevance of the problem. Ensuring safe working conditions is currently an urgent problem of our time. Purpose of work. Analysis of bibliographic data on issues of occupational risk, industrial injuries among workers of the processing complex. Materials and methods. To achieve this goal, materials related to this topic were studied in the works of domestic and foreign scientists. Results. A lot of scientific works are devoted to the problem of assessing professional risk in the production of a processing complex. Modern research has proved that risk assessment is one of the main methods for analyzing the impact of various production factors on an employee. Conclusion Occupational morbidity and industrial injuries are a consequence of unsatisfactory conditions and labor protection in enterprises.

scholarly journals Internal devaluation and economic inequality in Portugal: challenges to industrial relations in times of crisis and recovery

2021 ◽  
pp. 102425892199500
Author(s):  
Maria da Paz Campos Lima ◽  
Diogo Martins ◽  
Ana Cristina Costa ◽  
António Velez
Keyword(s):  
Collective Bargaining ◽  
Wage Inequality ◽  
Economic Inequality ◽  
Industrial Relations ◽  
National Level ◽  
Wage Share ◽  
Recovery Dynamics ◽  
Wage Increases ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Wage Outcomes

Internal devaluation policies imposed in southern European countries since 2010 have weakened labour market institutions and intensified wage inequality and the falling wage share. The debate in the wake of the financial and economic crisis raised concerns about slow wage growth and persistent economic inequality. This article attempts to shed light on this debate, scrutinising the case of Portugal in the period 2010–2017. Mapping the broad developments at the national level, the article examines four sectors, looking in particular at the impact of minimum wages and collective bargaining on wage trends vis-à-vis wage inequality and wage share trajectories. We conclude that both minimum wage increases and the slight recovery of collective bargaining had a positive effect on wage outcomes and were important in reducing wage inequality. The extent of this reduction was limited, however, by uneven sectoral recovery dynamics and the persistent effects of precarious work, combined with critical liberalisation reforms.

Practitioner Review: Continuity and Change: The Fair Work Act in Aviation

2011 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 392-401 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sue Bussell ◽  
John Farrow
Keyword(s):  
Industrial Relations ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
Aviation Industry ◽  
Continuity And Change ◽  
National Debate ◽  
New Development ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Impact

This article begins by discussing the specific industrial relations challenges of the highly competitive aviation industry. It then reflects on the outcome of the recent intense national debate over industrial relations, exploring the consequences of that debate for practice and policy, and discusses some key issues that remain in play. Although the Fair Work Act 2009 may have come about as a reaction to what many perceive as the ‘excesses’ of Work Choices, the new Act does not so much ‘wind back the clock’ as represent a significant new development in Australia’s long and unique industrial relations history. This article will discuss the impact of the changes, to date, made by the Fair Work Act on one organization, including the expansion of the ‘safety net’, and how the new compromise between the role of the ‘collective’ and the role of the ‘individual’ struck by the Act has the potential to fundamentally change the nature and structure of bargaining. We offer these comments as practitioners who have worked under successive industrial relations regimes since the early 1980s.

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