The Relationship between Precarious Employment and Patterns of Occupational Violence

Abstract

There is increasing recognition that the growth of precarious employment in industrialised countries affects the incidence of occupational injuries. As yet there has been little research into connections between precarious employment and occupational violence. This study provides Australian evidence on patterns of workplace violence in occupations dominated by contingent workers. The study examined surveys of workers in thirteen occupations. The surveys included male and female dominated occupations, enabling exploration of the relationship between gender, work characteristics and occupational violence. Qualitative data allowed exploration of the origins and situational characteristics. In several surveys a control group of non-precarious workers enabled comparisons to be made between contingent and traditional workers. The studies revealed marked differences in levels of violence across occupations although low level violence in the form of abuse was common in most and there was a significant level of actual physical assault amongst four occupational groups. In two of the thee occupations where direct comparisons were possible precarious workers were at greater risk of occupational violence. There is also reason to believe that managing occupational violence is more difficult where precarious employment is involved. Overall, our study provides some evidence that precarious employment can exacerbate occupational violence problems.