Organizing the Self-Employed: Theoretical Considerations and Empirical Findings

Pernicka, Susanne

doi:10.1177/0959680106065024

Cited by 45 publications

(55 citation statements)

References 16 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…What these theories fail to account for, however, is that employership is rarely the standard: In almost all European countries and in the United States, there are more self-employed without employees than with employees (Van Stel et al, 2014;OECD, 2015), and most ''solo'' self-employed workers will also never become employers (Millán et al, 2014). On the contrary, there is an increasing body of literature that has linked particular forms of selfemployment to labor market flexibility and so-called ''atypical'' work (Stanwoth and Stanworth, 1995;De Grip et al, 1997;Pernicka, 2006;Muehlberger, 2007;Buschoff and Schmidt, 2009;Barbieri and Scherer, 2009;Kalleberg, 2011). In this alternative perspective, much apparent self-employment arises from outsourcing and subcontracting practices as a way for employers to evade labor legislation and taxes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Farewell to the rightist self-employed? ‘New self-employment’ and political alignments

Jansen

2016

Acta Polit

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This study aims to provide theoretical and empirical clarity on whether people in ''new'' and precarious self-employment support the same political parties as those in traditional forms. Theoretical clarity is needed as the voting literature predominantly perceives self-employment in terms of class-based theories or insider/outsider theories, i.e., as a privileged grouping with shared interests as (potential) employers. Alternative perspectives, looking into the heterogeneity and precarization of self-employment have received less attention. Empirically, quantitative data are needed: Previous voting studies have not been able to differentiate the self-employed, either due to the lack of relevant indicators or because of low-N problems. Focusing on the Netherlands, this study addresses these shortcomings by analyzing data among over 800 self-employed without employees, using the Solo Self-Employment Panel. This study finds that the simple association between self-employment and rightist orientations is largely an oversimplification, and for growing segments of self-employment even a misrepresentation.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Farewell to the rightist self-employed? ‘New self-employment’ and political alignments

Jansen

2016

Acta Polit

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Furthermore, the increased use of subcontracting and the spread of self-employment poses additional difficulties for organized labour. Following this debate, Pernicka (2006) has argued that the heterogeneous and highly individualized working conditions of self-employed workers challenges the traditional aggregation of interests by unions (based on workplace interests) to promote solidarity and develop a collective identity. In this discussion, Rubery (2015) has highlighted that in fragmented employment systems, workers face increased difficulties in identifying the organization they are working for and that this has led to an increased invisibility of employers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Breaking Fragmentation through Mobilization: The Development of a Collective Identity during Movistar’s Contractors’ and Technicians’ Strike in Spain

López‐Andreu

2019

Work, Employment and Society

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This article contributes to the debates over the development of solidarity among a fragmented workforce by discussing the case of a strike in which the technicians and contractors at Movistar in Spain were involved. The strike involved employees and self-employed workers working for different contractors. The results highlight that ‘spontaneous’ mobilizations can help to develop a collective identity in fragmented employment systems. More concretely, they show that the lack of involvement of unions at the beginning of the strike helped to generate an identity involving all workers that was not based on occupational or contractual status. However, the findings also highlight that the later involvement of independent unions, which respected the assembling of workers as a space of decision, was key to the sustainment of the collective identity. Furthermore, the results show that mobilizing can be a strong organizing tool in contexts characterized by weak institutional regulation, fragmentation and precarious working conditions.

show abstract

“…More specifically, unions can be seen, as scholars often do, both as interest groups defending members' interests (this is why non-standard workers and their priorities might not figure high in their agendas) and "institutionally embedded" actors fighting for the realisation of a more universalistic "common good" to the benefit of a broader constituency (by representing the interests of non-members as a way to avoid a decline in labour standards for all in a given sector) (Hyman, 2001). Different unions may choose different approaches, according to their traditional membership, ideology, internal organisation or final goals (Hyman, 2001;Keune, 2015;Pernicka, 2006).…”

Section: A Working Definition Of Collective Autonomy With a Focus Onmentioning

confidence: 99%

Negotiating the Digital Transformation of Work: Non-Standard Workers’ Voice, Collective Rights and Mobilisation Practices in the Platform Economy

Aloisi

2019

SSRN Journal

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This paper attempts to grapple with the collective dimension of the phenomenon of the digital transformation of work. In particular, it explores the relevant legal framework, as well as practical obstacles and concrete responses to the process of "platformisation" of labour. It questions why and for what collective bargaining may be a viable tool to "negotiate" the direction(s) of this paradigm shift. In particular, it focuses on institutional approaches that pursue inclusive and engaging strategies aimed at organising across labour market segments. It also discusses the extent to which trade unions are interested in the fate of non-standard workers, what strategies they follow and what tools they employ. At the same time, it maps other actions and initiatives carried out by self-organised groups. It focuses on the actors and factors which either hinder or facilitate the development of solidarity. The topic of mobilisation has been a central interest of academics in the fields of industrial relations, labour sociology and social movement studies. By adopting an empirical approach and a crossdisciplinary analytical lens, this work places itself at the crossroads of these disciplines. The paper is organised as follows. After providing an outline of the main implications of the spread of new technologies and its impacts on employment relationships, part 2 explores the legal framework regulating collective rights, by considering a number of supranational systems of regulation and discussing the potential impediments arising from a narrow interpretation of antitrust immunities and restrictions. However, practical, in addition to legal, obstacles hamper or make less attractive the exercise of fundamental freedoms for non-standard workers. Accordingly, after describing current difficulties, principal actors, key actions and success factors in a selection of European countries, part 3 assesses recent initiatives and achievements. Finally, part 4 sets out the paper's key conclusions by estimating future developments and offering policy pointers.

show abstract

Organizing the Self-Employed: Theoretical Considerations and Empirical Findings

Abstract: Nutzungsbedingungen

Cited by 45 publications

References 16 publications

Farewell to the rightist self-employed? ‘New self-employment’ and political alignments

Farewell to the rightist self-employed? ‘New self-employment’ and political alignments

Breaking Fragmentation through Mobilization: The Development of a Collective Identity during Movistar’s Contractors’ and Technicians’ Strike in Spain

Negotiating the Digital Transformation of Work: Non-Standard Workers’ Voice, Collective Rights and Mobilisation Practices in the Platform Economy

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About