Privatisation and marketisation of services - social and economic impacts on employment, labour markets and trade unions
Description
The aim of this project is to discuss issues related to the changing size and structure of public services and draw links with the general changes in the service economy. It is proposed to structure the research around one conceptual and three substantive work packages.
The conceptual part of the study aims at discussing basic theoretical and conceptual arguments of what public services are and what are their boundaries with the private sector. To gain a better understanding of the context and rationale of the marketisation and privatisation processes in the EU member states, the typology of different versions of marketisation and privatisation of services will also be reviewed.
The first work package will set out to analyse the main developments in the services sector as a whole, in terms of output, employment and productivity. The division within individual services between public and private provision and changes over time will also be addressed.
On the basis of these two sets of trends, in different European countries and comparators such as the US, the study will also look at the importance of the public-private distinction, and thus also marketisation and privatisation, for the performance of the services in question and the economy in general.
The second work package will concentrate on the (potential) impact on the quality of employment of privatisation and marketisation of services. In particular, it will look at the flexibility and security aspect of employment, with the aim of drawing conclusions on the differences and similarities in how these two concepts are implemented in the private and public service sector. In addition the work package is also intended to investigate the changes to the labour regulations in the public service sector that have been made in recent years to bring them closer to labour provisions under the labour codes and, on the basis of this investigation, to draw some lessons for trade union demands.
The third work package will look at the extent of the consumer's decision-making power in service quality and its evaluation. This section intends to examine what citizens expect from the services provided by the public sector. Questions regarding what citizens expect from services, how quality is defined and what are the differences of attitudes in different welfare settings in the EU will be addressed.
Researchers
Andrew Watt
Senior researcher, ETUI-REHSphone: +32 (0) 2 224 05 12
Janine Leschke
Labour Market Researcher, ETUI-REHSphone: +32 (2) 224 04 69
Dr. Maarten Keune
Senior researcher, ETUI-REHSphone: +32 (0) 2 224 07 23
