In line with previous research, psychosocial exposures were associated with LMP. LMP may constitute a step on a pathway from work organization to health. Our exploratory work suggested that good psychosocial exposures were related to participatory working methods, being hired with a permanent labour contract, not being made to feel easily replaceable, having superiors with non-authoritarian and non-aggressive manners, not being threatened with dismissal, upward functional mobility, being paid according to the number of working hours and occupation, working between 31 and 40 hours per week and in regular morning shifts. Hence, the more these features became part of LMP in the workplace, the better the psychosocial work environment would be.

In this article we analyse the reasons for active trade union participation within the context of Spanish industrial relations. Spain represents a particularly interesting case as the unions' main activity, collective bargaining, is considered a public good. The present study is based on a representative survey of one region of the 'Worker Commissions' trade union and provides empirical evidence that union presence in the workplace has a significant influence on members' propensity for activism. Union presence in the workplace enhances collectivism and builds incentive for action in inclusive systems of industrial relations. By contrast, individualistic orientations and instrumental motives are of little relevance in the Spanish industrial relations context.

This paper presents the results of a study that links information from the prison system with information from the Spanish Social Security System in order to study the employability of former inmates of prisons in Catalonia, Spain. Few studies of this type have been carried out in the world and this is the first in Spain. The results show that 43.6 percent of ex-prisoners find a job after serving their sentence, but their integration in the labour market tends to be fragile, confirming that it is a very vulnerable group. It was also found that prison work has a favourable effect on employability and that vocational training has a lesser or no effect.

ResumenUno de los debates recurrentes en criminología pivota en la efectividad de las diversas medidas adoptadas desde el sistema penitenciario para la reinserción de la población reclusa. En este artículo abordamos específi camente el análisis de hasta qué punto la formación ocupacional y los programas de trabajo en los centros penitenciarios contribuyen a la reinserción social y laboral de los internos y ex internos. El punto de partida es una investigación llevada a cabo en Cataluña mediante entrevistas semiestructuradas a expertos y a reclusos y ex reclusos. Los principales resultados que se resaltan son: a) la formación ocupacional y el trabajo en los talleres contribuyen moderadamente a la reinserción de los reclusos, según su motivación personal y recursos sociales; b) no obstante, su función más determinante recae en sus aspectos terapéuticos y educativos en la propia prisión, que ayuda a mantener el orden e, indirectamente, a la resocialización de los reclusos. Key words AbstractThe effectiveness of the measures taken from the prison system for the reintegration of inmates is a recurring debate in criminology.In this article, we analyze the extent to which occupational training and work programs in prisons contribute to social and professional reintegration of inmates and ex-inmates. The starting point is a research carried out in Catalonia through in-depth interviews with experts, inmates and ex-inmates. The main fi ndings are: a) the occupational training and work programs contribute to the reintegration of prisoners moderately, according to their personal motivation and social resources; b) however, these programs would be decisive in therapeutic and educational aspects with regard to maintaining order and, indirectly, to the social rehabilitation of prisoners. Cómo citarEsteban, Fernando; Alós, Ramon; Jódar, Pere y Miguélez, Fausto (2014 182La inserción laboral de ex reclusos. Una aproximación cualitativa INTRODUCCIÓN 1La investigación que fundamenta este artícu-lo, realizada en Cataluña para el organismo público Centre d`Iniciatives per a la Reinserció (CIRE, en adelante), se propuso comprender en qué medida la formación profesional y el trabajo productivo en los centros penitenciarios, ambos mecanismos desarrollados por el CIRE, repercuten en la inserción laboral de los ex reclusos de los centros penitenciarios. La atención se centró en los reclusos que obtuvieron la libertad defi nitiva entre 2004 y 2007, período en el cual la institución realizó un cambio estratégico que permitió duplicar el número de alumnos de formación ocupacional y empleos en los talleres productivos. El estudio se llevó a cabo entre fi nales del año 2009 y la primera mitad del 2010, lo que permitió tener información de resultados de inserción tras la libertad defi nitiva.La investigación incluyó dos aproximaciones. Una primera, cualitativa, se concretó en el objetivo de interpretar los aspectos signifi cativos de la conducta y de las representaciones de los reclusos con relación a los mecanismos de inserción sociolaboral;...

This study analyses the characteristics of members leaving trade unions in Spainspecifically the Catalonia branch of Workers' Commissions (CCOO-Catalonia) -alongside their reasons for leaving using a variety of data sources. Our findings indicate higher union attrition among members in more precarious employment situations (i.e. temporary employment, low seniority). In general, union leavers confirm that their job situation is an important reason for leaving the union. We therefore conclude that efforts made by unions to support members in vulnerable labor market positions are important in order to reduce rates of union attrition.