Greater Labour Flexibility Research Articles

Evaluation of alternative scenarios of labour flexibility for dockworkers in maritime container terminals

In the competitive environment of Container Terminals (CTs), it is essential to reduce unproductive costs and to offer efficient services to shipping companies. One of the most important factors for CT efficiency is to plan workforce optimally. However, in some CTs, strict work regulations can avoid an optimal use of the available resources leading to longer operation times and to additional related costs. This study analyses labour regulations in Italian CTs and evaluates the effects of a greater labour flexibility at the operational level by hypothesising an increase of the labour flexibility allowed within the pool of internal dockworkers. The scenario representing the current work organisation in Italian CTs is compared to five new scenarios constructed by increasing the share of daily working flexibility and introducing a new type of labour flexibility, the so-called mini-flexibility. The use of a state-of-the-art Integer Linear Programming Model for the daily assignment of human resources in CTs allows to simulate the quantitative effects of each scenario in terms of operating costs and workers undermanning. Quantitative results support the idea that an increased labour flexibility in CT activities can actually lead to a significant reduction of the operating costs and to a greater efficiency of the CT.

Globalization, wage shares and income distribution in Turkey

Globalization is often observed to result in greater labour flexibility and decreased labour bargaining power; thus, imposing a downward pressure on wages, especially in the sectors producing tradable goods. This would result then in a deterioration of the wage share and rising inequality within developing countries. In 1980s, Turkey implemented liberalization policies to promote globalization of the Turkish economy by raising trade and capital flows. Using a sectoral panel data, this paper shows that low-wage competition followed by trade liberalization reduced the wage shares in the manufacturing industry. The analysis also exhibits that the financial liberalization and rising capital flows hurt workers by increasing macroeconomic volatility, leading to financial crises that affected the functional income inequality.

The path towards greater labour flexibility in Germany: hampered by past success?

Analyses the tensions between change and continuity in the German model of labour flexibility and examines why recent deregulation and decentralization measures only had a limited impact on companies’ flexibility approaches. Addresses the subsequent issues of how, and to what extent the framework for the several forms of flexibility should be broadened in the particular German context, where the institutional/regulatory environment has encouraged the widespread adoption of a diversified quality production strategy, based on high levels of functional flexibility. Concludes that a large section of German companies may already operate near an optional labour flexibility mix. Suggests system internal reforms based on regulated flexibility and centrally co‐ordinated decentralization, in order to enhance, to some extent, the framework for flexibility without undermining the underlying incentive structure for high skills/high productivity approaches to flexibility.

Trade Unions—Enterprise Bargaining and Control at Work Evidence From The First Wave of Enterprise Agreements

ABSTRACT Since the articulation of the Enterprise Bargaining principle by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission in 1991, and the reforms to the Industrial Relations Act passed in 1994, the pace of industrial relations deregulation in Australia has quickened considerably. This paper explores some of the characteristics of the first wave of enterprise bargains with particular reference to the role of trade unions in mediating the enterprise bargaining process and the results of workplace change. Following the claims of many in the federal government, the trade union movement and employer groups, we consider the extent to which enterprise bargaining has facilitated greater labour flexibility and employee participation in workplace decision-making using original data drawn from a survey of the first wave of federally and state registered enterprise agreements. In particular, we examine whether level of unionisation in specific workplaces appears to malre a dilference to the negotiatim of several key aspects of control and discretion at work. We consider whether unions appear to make a difference to the ways in which employment conditions are determined at the workplace, the way in which changes to work organisation are negotiated, the means by which employees are consulted through the change process, the level of employee involvement in decision-making and the methods by which pay is determined. On the basis of the survey evidence, we conclude that union presence and density appears to affect the results of enterprise bargaining especially with respect to matters of workplace control and the exercise of managerial prerogative at work.

Progress towards greater labour flexibility in Germany

Government and employers’ sources frequently emphasize that companies located in western Germany have traditionally been circumscribed in their pursuit of flexibility in staffing, working time arrangements and pay, due to the particular configuration of the German industrial relations system and labour market regulations. Examines to what extent recent deregulation and decentralization measures have actually enhanced the environment for greater labour flexibility. Then considers whether this has led to higher degrees of labour flexibility at the company level. The analysis of a number of key flexibility indicators reveals that, despite some significant broadening of the scope for greater labour flexibility since the late 1980s, companies seem, in general, not to have greatly altered their flexibility mix. In the light of the relatively high degree of functional flexibility in German firms, the pay‐offs from enhancing other forms of flexibility may be considered to be low.