250 Pages
    by Routledge

    250 Pages
    by Routledge

    For the past two decades employment in Britain has been marked by a search for greater flexibility in the availability and use of labour. In recent years, however, there has been mounting concern at the costs of this trend and an appreciation that the consequence of a flexible labour market may be an insecure workforce, vulnerable to exploitation. It is also widely claimed that rising worker insecurity imposes costs on the wider economy and society through lower rates of skill formation, reduced consumer confidence and family instability.

    This collection of essays uniquely brings together writers from the fields of human resource management, industrial relations, social policy, sociology, economics and politics to explore the validity of these claims. Specific issues considered in the book include:

    * labour markets and the growth of insecure work
    * trade unions and the representation of insecure workers
    * job insecurity and personal well-being
    * insecurity and political behaviour.

    This original analysis through the outstanding essays, leads to the book’s key message: that re-building security at work should be a major concern of policy makers.

    Introduction: The Debate over Workforce Insecurity Edmund Heery and John Salmon. Can't stand up for falling down? Insecurity in the UK Labour Market Paul Gregg and Jonathan Wadsworth. Insecurity and the Flexible Workforce: Measuring the Ill-Defined Peter Robinson. Redundancy Arrangements and Job (In)Security Peter Turnball and Victoria Wass. Workforce Insecurity in the Public Services Nigel Allington and Phillip Morgan. Beyond the Miracle: the Future of Life-time Employment in Japan John Salmon. Managing the Insecure Workforce David Guest. Representing the Insecure Workforce Brian Abbott and Edmind Heery. Insecurity, Wellbeing and the Family Brendan Burchell. Insecurity and Housing Consumption Richard Walker. Workforce Insecurity and Political Behaviour: Did Insecurity Cause the Conservative's Defeat in 1997? John Curtice. Conclusion Edmund Heery and John Salmon.

    Biography

    Edmund Heery, Professor Edmund Heery, John Salmon