scholarly journals Sustainable work in transition. Policy background, concepts and research arenas

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-47
Author(s):  
Kenneth Abrahamsson

  Future of work is today discussed at global level in Agenda 2030 and SDG 8, by ILO and in the Global Deal which is a multi-stakeholder initiative for social dialogue and inclusive growth. Future of work, social innovations and inclusive growth are also central policy missions for the OECD, the European Commission, and its agencies Cedefop, EU-OSHA and Eurofound. The European Pillar of Social Rights highlights the need for a European social model promoting a progressive interplay between economic development, god working conditions and social protection. This article analyses concepts of quality of work, decent work, and sustainable work. Its title comprises different connotation of sustainable work in transition. Firstly, sustainable work has not got significant attention in the policy agenda on sustainable development. Secondly, new forms of work and the dissolution of the traditional workplace and standard employment relations call for a widened use of the content of sustainable work. Thirdly, the Green Deal, low carbon omissions and new energy systems will have substantial impact on work organisation and production systems. Finally, digitalization, labour market transformations and increasing job longevity make job shifts and skills upgrading more common and sustainable work must be seen in a life-course and lifelong perspective.  

Author(s):  
M.ªGema Quintero Lima

En apariencia, los primeros análisis de la digitalización y la robotización de la economía parecen coincidir en que tendrá efectos negativos para el empleo: en la medida en que ciertas actividades puedan ser sustituidas totalmente por procesos digitales o por sujetos robotizados, se hace prescindible ya la presencia total o parcial de trabajadores en las empresas. Solo indirectamente se hace referencia a la incidencia de esos nuevos procesos en el estatuto jurídico del trabajador, en las relaciones laborales colectivas y en la revisión de los sistemas de protección social.Desde septiembre 2015 se han activado desde las Naciones Unidas los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS), que pueden ser las nuevas directrices de inspiración para nuevas herramientas de gestionar el cambio, o para nuevos contenidos de herramientas clásicas. La legislación y la negociación colectiva son destinatarias de algunos mandatos (referidos a regulaciones de salarios y demás condiciones decentes, son los ejemplos más inmediatos), de ahí que sea preciso insertar nuevas vías de reflexión en la docencia del Derecho Social 4.0. Al mismo tiempo, los ODS son susceptibles de actuar como acelerantes del aprendizaje, por lo que de estimulantes tienen en el ámbito material del Trabajo Decente y del Desarrollo Sostenible.The first analysis of digitalisation and the robotization of the economy seem to converge in the idea that Revolution 4.o will have negative effects on employment: if certain activities can be completely replaced by digital processes or by robotic subjects, then it is possible that workers in companies are totally o partially replaced. There are just only indirect references to the impact of these new processes on the legal status of the worker, on collective labor relations and on the revision of social protection systems.Since September 2016 the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) have been activated from the United Nations, which may be new inspiration guidelines for new tools to manage change, or for new contents of classic tools. Legislation and collective bargaining are the recipients of some mandates (referring to salary regulations and other decent conditions, are the most immediate examples) hence it is necessary to insert new ways of rethinking the teaching of Social Law 4.0. At the same time, the SDG are likely to act as accelerators at learning processes, so that they are stimulating frameworks in the material scope of Decent Work and Sustainable Development


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muralidharan Loganathan

Sustainable Development Goal 8 to “Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all” necessitates country level measures across the world. We take forward a comparative analysis of India’s SDG 8 indicator list with both the UN and ILO measurements. We note inadequate measurements on social-protection and rights for non-standard forms of employment including gig work, that are intermediated by ICT platforms. From our analysis we identify some levers to broaden the current indicator measurements to include these non-standard workers as well, to improve social sustainability.


2010 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 564-579 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet E. Lord ◽  
David Suozzi ◽  
Allyn L. Taylor

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (the CRPD or the Convention), adopted on December 13, 2006, and entered into force on May 3, 2008, constitutes a key landmark in the emerging field of global health law and a critical milestone in the development of international law on the rights of persons with disabilities. At the time of its adoption, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights heralded the CRPD as a rejection of the understanding of persons with disabilities “as objects of charity, medical treatment and social protection” and an embrace of disabled people as “subjects of rights.”The text of the Convention itself, and the highly participatory process by which it was negotiated, signal a definitive break from previous international approaches that focused on disability within a medical model framework. In contrast to traditional approaches, the CRPD embraces a social model of disability, concentrating the disability experience not in individual deficiency, but in the socially constructed environment and the barriers that impede the participation of persons with disabilities in society.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 821
Author(s):  
Keith L. Kline ◽  
Virginia H. Dale ◽  
Erin Rose ◽  
Bruce Tonn

Wood-based pellets are produced in the southeastern United States (SE US) and shipped to Europe for the generation of heat and power. Effects of pellet production on selected Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) are evaluated using industry information, available energy consumption data, and published research findings. Challenges associated with identifying relevant SDG goals and targets for this particular bioenergy supply chain and potential deleterious impacts are also discussed. We find that production of woody pellets in the SE US and shipments to displace coal for energy in Europe generate positive effects on affordable and clean energy (SDG 7), decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), industry innovation and infrastructure (SDG 9), responsible consumption and production (SDG 12), and life on land (SDG 15). Primary strengths of the pellet supply chain in the SE US are the provisioning of employment in depressed rural areas and the displacement of fossil fuels. Weaknesses are associated with potential impacts on air, water, and biodiversity that arise if the resource base and harvest activities are improperly managed. The SE US pellet supply chain provides an opportunity for transition to low-carbon industries and innovations while incentivizing better resource management.


2006 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-77
Author(s):  
Srdjan Redzepagic

In this article is elaborated the actually question which is developed and discussed it the European Union is the European Social Model (ESM). It is a vision of society that combines sustainable economic growth with ever-improving living and working conditions. This implies full employment good quality jobs, equal opportunities, social protection for all, social inclusion, and involving citizens in the decisions that affect them. As the Euro-zone is struggling to move away from a dramatic slump in its economy and while the Lisbon Strategy and its potential for economic growth, strongly needs reactivation, the debates over the Europe have raised again the issue of a sustainable social agenda for the European Union. Recently, Europe's political leaders defined the ESM, specifying that it "is based on good economic performance, a high level of social protection and education and social dialogue". An important topic of the discussion nowadays is the Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on services in the internal market so called "Bolkestein directive". The importance of this article is to give us the answer to the following question: would we have French goods available in French supermarkets all over Poland and no Polish services allowed in France? The EU would be unthinkable without the full implementation of the four freedoms. This is a good directive, going in the good direction.


2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 51-63
Author(s):  
Zuzana Macková

The article is a critical analysis of neoliberal approach to system of social protection in Slovakia, especially after the year of 2004, when a major reform of the Social Security Law and social policy took place. The focus is on specific sub-systems of the social protection – i.e. the system of social insurance, the system of state support and the system of social assistance – in the light of the constitutional and fundamental principles of law (liberty, equality, justice and solidarity), the actual content of the abovementioned systems of social protection and values and principles of the European social model of welfare state – and leads to author’s overview of major flaws and spaces for improvement.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shafiqul Alam ◽  
Ziaul Haq Adnan ◽  
Mohammed Abdul Baten ◽  
Surajit Bag

PurposeGlobally, a myriad of floating workers is in grave jeopardy due to the ceasing of employment opportunities that resulted from the mobility restriction during the Covid-19. Despite the global concern, developing countries have been suffering disproportionately due to the dominance of informal workers in their labour market, posing the necessity to campaign for the immediate protection of this vulnerable population. This paper analyses various dimensions of the vulnerability of urban floating workers in the context of Covid-19 in Bangladesh. In reference to International Labour Organization's (ILO) “Decent Work” concept, this paper endeavours to examine floating workers' vulnerability using the insider-outsider framework in context to Covid-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachThe study was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, data were collected before the pandemic to assess the vulnerability of the informal floating workers. Later, we extended the study to the second phase during the Covid-19 pandemic to understand how pandemic affects the lives and livelihood of floating workers. In phase one, data were collected from a sample of 342 floating workers and analysed based on job security, wages, working environment, psychological wellbeing and education to understand the vulnerability of floating workers. In phase two, 20 in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted, followed by thematic analysis to explore how the pandemic affects the existing vulnerability of floating workers.FindingsVarious social protection schemes were analysed to evaluate their effectiveness in reducing the vulnerability of floating workers facing socio-economic crises. The study has found that the pandemic has multiplied the existing vulnerability of the floating workers on many fronts that include job losses, food crisis, shelter insecurity, education, social, physical and mental wellbeing. In response to the pandemic, the Government stimulus packages and Non-government Covid-19 initiatives lack the appropriate system, magnitude, and focus on protecting the floating workers in Bangladesh.Practical implicationsThis paper outlines various short-term interventions and long-term policy prescriptions to safeguard floating workers' lives and livelihood from the ongoing Corona pandemic and unforeseen uncertainties.Originality/valueThis paper is the first of its kind that aims at understanding the vulnerability of this significant workforce in Bangladesh, taking the whole picture of Government and Non-government initiatives during Covid-19.


2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 328-353
Author(s):  
Esuna Dugarova

Social protection is an important strategy to protect people from livelihood risks, develop human capital and promote economic growth. Decent work is a core element of social protection and a critical condition for eradicating poverty. Despite high labor force participation and low unemployment, Russia’s labor market shows several negative trends, including working poverty and growing informality. Both are exacerbated by gender disparities and unfavorable demographic shifts. Over the past decade the Russian government has implemented active labor market interventions, and enhanced targeted social protection aimed at promoting employment and reducing poverty. Based on the analysis of key data and programs, the article finds that the country achieved stability in the labor market, but at the cost of deteriorating living standards caused by low levels of productivity and wages.


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