Isusi, Iñigo
Effects of economic crisis on women in labour market
03 May 2010
The 1st May Foundation (Fundación 1º de Mayo [1]) of the Trade Union
Confederation of Workers’ Commissions (Confederación Sindical de
Comisiones Obreras, CCOO [2]) has recently published a report (in Spanish)
[3], within the context of International Women’s Day [4] on 8 March,
showing some specific effects of the current economic crisis on the Spanish
female labour market. The main results of the report, based on the official
information provided by the Spanish Labour Force Survey (/Encuesta de
Población Activa/, EPA [5]), are outlined below.
[1] http://www.1mayo.ccoo.es/
[2] http://www.ccoo.es/csccoo/
[3] http://www.1mayo.ccoo.es/nova/NNws_ShwNewDup?codigo=2907&cod_primaria=1171&cod_secundaria=1171
[4] http://www.internationalwomensday.com/
[5] http://www.ine.es/jaxi/menu.do?type=pcaxis&path=/t22/e308_mnu&file=inebase&L=0
Migrants subject to poor working and employment conditions
24 September 2009
In March 2009, the Centre for the Research of Health at Work (Centro de
Investigación en Salud Laboral, CISAL [1]) within the University Pompeu
Fabra (Universitat Pompeu Fabra, UPF [2]) published the report
‘Immigration, work and health’ (ITSAL: Inmigración, Trabajo y Salud
(3.9Mb PDF) [3]). The research project was financed by the Sanitary Research
Fund of the Carlos III Health Institute (Instituto de Salud Carlos III, ISC
[4]). From a methodological perspective, the study was conducted between 2006
and 2008, combining both quantitative information from the official
statistics on accidents at work (in Spanish) [5] issued by the Ministry of
Labour and Immigration (Ministerio de Trabajo e Inmigración, MTIN [6]) and
qualitative information directly obtained from individual interviews and
focus groups among migrants working in Spain for at least three months.
[1] http://www.upf.edu/cisal/
[2] http://www.upf.edu/
[3] http://www.upf.edu/cisal/_pdf/ITSAL_informe.pdf
[4] http://www.isciii.es/htdocs/index.jsp
[5] http://www.mtin.es/estadisticas/bel/ATE/index.htm
[6] http://www.mtin.es/index.htm
Significant increase in labour market participation of older workers
31 August 2009
The report [1] on the labour market participation of people aged 55–64
years and their career paths (in Spanish) [2] was published in May 2009 by
the research institute Fundación 1º de Mayo [3]. The latter was established
by the Trade Union Confederation of Workers’Commissions (Comisiones
Obreras, CC.OO [4]) in 1988.
[1] http://www.1mayo.ccoo.es/nova/NBdd_ShwDocumento?cod_primaria=1185&cod_documento=1882
[2] http://www.1mayo.ccoo.es/nova/NBdd_ShwDocumento?cod_primaria=1185&cod_documento=1882
[3] http://www.1mayo.ccoo.es/nova/NNws_ShwNewDup?codigo=1852&cod_primaria=1209&cod_secundaria=1209
[4] http://www.ccoo.es/
Impact of economic crisis on unemployed people
10 May 2009
In February 2009, the human resources company Adecco [1] published a press
release (in Spanish, 38Kb PDF) [2] on the job profiles currently being
accepted by unemployed people in Spain. The information is based on official
statistics and Adecco’s own business data; the main findings of the
research are outlined below.
[1] http://www.adecco.com/
[2] http://www.adecco.es/_data/NotasPrensa/pdf/127.pdf
Professional education and training for sustainable development in Spain
04 February 2009
The aims of the study are to provide an outline of SMEs in their social, economic, and environmental context; a rough determination of SMEs’ needs for education and training relating to the environment and sustainable development; a rough determination of training and information needs of regulatory agencies; and an outline of the provision of education and training from different sources.
Increase in employment quality over past five years
05 October 2008
In May 2008, the Regional Quantitative Analysis Group in the Research
Institute of Applied Economics (Grup de Recerca Anàlisi Quantitativa
Regional, Institut de Recerca d’Economia Aplicada, AQR-IREA [1]) at the
University of Barcelona, in collaboration with the recruitment company
Manpower Professional [2], published the Manpower Study on Labour Quality (in
Spanish, 1.23Mb PDF) [3], which covers the period 2001–2006. This study
uses the Labour Quality Index (LQI) to provide information on the situation
and evolution of the issue of ‘work quality’. The LQI has been defined
according to a system of statistical indicators that allow for the evaluation
of the multidimensional concept of work quality, following the guidelines
suggested by the Communication from the European Commission ‘Employment and
social policies: a framework for investing in quality (137Kb PDF) [4]’
(COM(2001) 313 final). Moreover, the LQI takes into account a total of 70
statistical indicators grouped under the following 10 quality dimensions
suggested by the Commission:
[1] http://www.ub.es/dpees/aqr/
[2] http://www.manpowerprofessional.es/Pub/content.asp?ref=AZUL&noderef=home&langid=es
[3] http://129.35.74.13/Img/5FB7198B2B8D48E2A607BCFC4C1EB8BA.pdf
[4] http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/employment_analysis/com2001_0313_en.pdf
Workers rate training provision and good working environment most important
08 May 2008
In December 2007, the temporary work agency Adecco [1] presented the results
of a survey on the main preferences of Spanish workers in relation to their
working and employment conditions. The Adecco survey, entitled ‘What would
you ask your company at Christmas time?’ (¿Qué le pedirías a tu empresa
por navidad? (Summary, 67Kb PDF) [2]), was conducted among 2,000 Spanish
workers and covers different aspects relating to the workplace – such as
salary, social benefits, working environment, and conciliation between work
and personal life. The survey also reports on what Spanish workers hope and
wish for their company in the next year.
[1] http://www.adecco.es/
[2] http://www.adecco.es/_data/NotasPrensa/pdf/66.pdf
Few Spanish workers benefit from flexible working time
17 December 2007
Flexibility [1] in working time is one of the most valuable tools that
individuals have to reconcile work with other aspects of life, particularly
in relation to family duties. Thus, this practice is gradually extending
throughout European workplaces as an effective way to reconcile work and
personal or family life.
[1] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/industrial-relations-dictionary/flexibility
Barriers to promotion for female managers
08 October 2007
In March 2007, the Centre for Sociological Research (Centro de
Investigaciones Sociológicas, CIS [1]), a public institution which carries
out studies on diverse dimensions of Spanish society, published a report
entitled Women managers: Transition towards top management (in Spanish,
available for purchase) [2]. The report examines the way in which factors
such as social structure, family, professional relations, education and
cultural stereotypes limit women’s careers in their advancement towards
senior management positions. Apart from these external factors, internal
variables such as age and personal characteristics can also be crucial in
this respect.
[1] http://www.cis.es
[2] http://www.cis.es/cis/opencms/ES/3_publicaciones/catalogo/ver.jsp?id=423
Parliamentary report recommends actions to improve work–life balance
05 August 2007
In April 2007, the Spanish parliament (Congreso de los Diputados [1])
approved a report (in Spanish, 657Kb PDF) [2] with policy proposals on the
regulation and adaptation of working time regulation and work flexibility in
Spain. The overall aim of the report is to address the issue of reconciling
work, family and personal life in a balanced way. The report analyses the
concept of work-life balance [3] and provides an in-depth review of the
current situation, highlighting those elements that underline the extent of
the problem in Spain (see also the EWCO article ‘Working time organisation
under review’, ES0603019I [4]).
[1] http://www.congreso.es/portal/page/portal/Congreso/Congreso
[2] http://www.congreso.es/public_oficiales/L8/CONG/BOCG/D/D_480.PDF
[3] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/industrial-relations-dictionary/worklife-balance-0
[4] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/working-conditions/working-time-organisation-under-review