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TLM.NET conference 25
- 26 November 2004
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conference
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Calls for papers
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Conference
theme Labour is increasingly urged to become more flexible but also offer more opportunities to opt for a different life pattern. However, changes on the labour market are often due to adverse economic shocks and the emergence of social risks such as (long-term) unemployment, sickness and disability. Some argue that particularly the weakest groups on the labour market, workers in low status jobs, with low skill levels and human capital endowments, will be exposed to rising employment instability and income insecurity. Others believe that in a 'risk society' as modern societies are, all workers are exposed to these risks. Many scholars challenge the view of a 'trade-off' between flexibility and work security and stability, among them advocates of the 'flexicurity' thesis, according to which there is a 'double bind' between flexibility and work and income security. The changing socio-economic context with more social and economic integration at the European and global level and more rapid changes in the development and application of new technology and knowledge will likely give a further impetus to changes in the work-biographies of people. Over a lifetime many workers will experience longer intermittent periods of unemployment or not-working, while at the same time being engaged in life-long learning activities, caring duties or volunteer work. The notion of a more dynamic or 'transitional labour market' gains importance within the European context not only because of more mobility between the states of working and not-working, but also - as the increasing interest for internal mobility and 'employability' shows - within the domain of work itself. Novel and innovative scholarly research and study, utilising advanced panel and life-course data and analyses techniques in Europe have contributed to a better insight and understanding of these ongoing changes and new dynamics on the labour market. Against this background it does not come as a surprise that the quality of labour market transitions will be the subject of this conference during the Dutch presidency of the European Union in the second half of 2004. The theme of the conference is therefore highly relevant for academic purposes but also for European employment and social inclusion policies, notably within the framework of the European Employment and Social Inclusion Strategy. The European Employment Guidelines, reviewed in 2003, contain three overarching objectives, including "Improving quality and productivity of work". Guideline 3 explicitly states the need to "address change and promote adaptability and mobility in the labour market". In fact, most Employment Guidelines stress the importance of labour market transitions, i.e. transitions to and in the labour market, in the form of: active and preventative measures for the unemployed and inactive, job creation and entrepreneurship, the promotion of human capital and lifelong learning, an increase of labour supply and the promotion of active ageing, gender equality, making work pay (by attacking the poverty trap) and the transformation of undeclared work into regular employment. But equally important is the process of open coordination in the framework of the Social Inclusion strategy aimed at modernising social protection systems so as to make them more responsive to the challenges posed by the current socio-economic developments and the knowledge-economy. Both processes will determine in tandem and to a significant extent the way the Union will be capable of tackling the adverse outcomes of asymmetric economic shocks and increased competition and maintain a responsible and sustainable society. The European Commission has already produced a large set of indicators in order to adequately monitor the Employment and Social Inclusion Strategies and is currently gathering an impressive amount of information on labour market transitions and social inclusion policies as is already shown in the Employment in Europe 2002 and 2003 reports. The starting-point of the conference is that the quality of transitions is a precondition for enduring participation in the labour market and in other socially productive domains of life. "High quality" labour market transitions warrant citizens' adaptability and sustainability in the labour market, while at the same time contributing to the dynamics of that labour market and the competitiveness of companies and institutions. Socially inclusive transitions should be promoted and facilitated, whereas socially exclusive transitions ("dead-end street" transitions) should be avoided. The ultimate goal of employment and social inclusion policies could be formulated as to provide European citizens with sustainable and high quality work, leisure and education options that meet their preferences and allow them to tune their work-leisure choices with the stage of the life-cycle they are currently in. Instead of 'single tickets' as is the case for many people, the aim of polices is to warrant 'return-tickets' to the labour market, to build-up people's capabilities and to provide means to let people themselves become the managers of their transitions to safeguard a high quality of these transitions in social and economic terms. During the conference attention will be paid to both the barriers and opportunities to high quality labour market transitions, including the need for the establishment of effective "transition agencies" and "transition managers" in companies and sectors of industry. The conference address issues such as the key role of the social partners and social dialogue, the reform of overly restrictive elements in employment legislation and social security systems affecting labour market dynamics, the employment of groups facing difficult access to the labour market, the importance of new contractual, working and training arrangements and the need to improve the balance between work and private life. |
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Conference
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Literature __________________________________________________________________ |
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The
TLM.NET conference 'Quality in Labour Market Transitions: A European
Challenge'
Conference
committee: Correspondence
address:
The
TLM.NET conference 'Quality in Labour Market Transitions: A European
Challenge'
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