Sociology: work & labour
People in low-paid informal work
'Need not greed'
This study examines the relationship between poverty and informal work. Exploring the experiences of people in low-paid informal work, it contends that unless government seeks to include the informal economy in its strategies, it will never be able to reach its employment or anti-poverty targets.
Free pdf version available at www.jrf.org.uk
Past it at 40?
A grassroots view of ageism and discrimination in employment
There is a growing recognition that people over the age of fifty experience discrimination in the labour market. This ground-breaking report provides new evidence that ageism and discrimination are also having devastating effects on the lives of people as young as forty, with a cost to the economy of up to £31 billion per year.
Parental Leave and Beyond
Recent International Developments, Current Issues and Future Directions
This volume provides an international perspective on parental leave policies in different countries, goes beyond this to examine a range of issues in depth, and aims to stimulate thinking about possible futures and how policy might underpin them.
Organizing Women
Gender Equality Policies in French and British Trade Unions
This book explores the representation of women’s interests in the world of work across 4 trade unions in France and the UK. Drawing on case studies, it unveils the social, organisational and political conditions that contribute to the reproduction of gender inequalities or, on the contrary, allow the promotion of equality.
Organisations, careers and caring
With the increase in mothers' employment both the government and many employers are promoting flexible working policies to improve work-life 'balance'. This report considers the effects of these changes on the lives of both women and men. It examines three employment sectors in detail - banking, grocery retail and local authorities.
Older Workers in Transition
European Experiences in a Neoliberal Era
This collection explores a variety of job transitions for older people, including voluntary job moves, coming out of unemployment, temporary labour and passages into retirement. Each chapter hears the voices of older workers and employers, and is positioned within the context of various European countries, with important lessons for future policy.
New policies for older workers
Against a background of population ageing, policy makers in the majority of industrialised countries are developing policies aimed at extending working life and promoting the benefits of employing older workers. This report reviews developments in several countries and offers recommendations for public policy.
New Labour/hard labour?
Restructuring and resistance inside the welfare industry
This book provides the first critically informed discussion of work and workers in the UK welfare sector under New Labour. It examines the changing nature of work and explores the context of industrial relations across the welfare industry.
The Moral Economy of Activation
Ideas, Politics and Policies
By rethinking the role of ideas and morality in policy changes, this book illustrates how the moral economy of activation leads to a permanent behaviourist testing of the unemployed in public debate as well as in local job centres.
Money, choice and control
The financial circumstances of early retirement
This report looks at the role of finances in decisions about early moves out of work. Drawing on in-depth interviews with people who make an early retirement, it makes a distinctive contribution to understanding their experiences, looking at the importance of money alongside other influences, including health and domestic circumstances.
Migrants and Refugees in Europe
Work Integration in Comparative Perspective
EPDF and EPUB available Open Access under CC-BY-NC-ND licence. This book explores the labour market integration of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers across seven European countries. It investigates how legal, political, social and personal circumstances combine to determine the work trajectory for migrants who choose Europe as their home.
Menopause Transitions and the Workplace
Theorizing Transitions, Responsibilities and Interventions
Offering theoretical frameworks from experts as well as practical examples to support women transitioning through menopause in the workplace, this is a go-to reference for academics and policy makers working in the field.