Labour Exploitation and Posted Workers in the European Construction Industry

Abstract

When considering what is ‘European’ about white-collar and corporate crime, this essay examines exploitative labour practices in the European construction industry, especially in relation to the notion of ‘posted workers’, which is a distinct EU phenomenon. Since employers arrange temporary posting of workers to another country under free movement of services rules, this leaves workers dependent on arrangements made by their employers, which exposes them to poor accommodation provisions, lower pay than local workers receive, as well as increased segregation from local populations. Companies often use worker posting as a way to avoid regulatory oversight, thereby reducing their own costs. Given that companies are in a prime position to mistreat employees and posted workers while worsening their workplace conditions, these distinctly European processes are relevant to contemporary discussions in corporate criminology, which may not traditionally view the harmful consequences of posted working as ‘crimes’.