Working life research

Christine Aumayr-Pintar

Senior research manager

Christine Aumayr-Pintar er seniorforskningsleder i Eurofounds arbejdslivsenhed. Hun koordinerer Eurofounds forskning i social dialog og arbejdsmarkedsrelationer og fører tilsyn med netværket af Eurofounds korrespondenter (NEC). Hendes primære forskningsekspertise – anskuet fra et komparativt EU-synspunkt – er centreret om mindstelønninger, kollektivt forhandlet løn og løngennemsigtighed mellem kønnene. Før hun kom til Eurofound i 2009, var hun arbejdsmarkeds- og regionaløkonomiforsker ved Joanneum Research i Østrig. Hun har en kandidatgrad i økonomi og en ph.d. i samfundsvidenskab/økonomi efter at have studeret økonomi i Graz, Wien og Jönköping.

Ekspertiseområder

Christine er ekspert i følgende emner.

Forskningsresultater

Christine er forfatter til følgende publikationer.

Begivenheder, kommentarer og analyse

Christine har bidraget til følgende begivenheder, blogindlæg og podcast-episoder.

10 January 2024

Podcast-episode

Are minimum wages in Europe adequate and effective?

The latest episode of Eurofound Talks, recorded shortly before Eurofound publishes its harmonised analysis of 2024 minimum wage developments, looks at the changes to minimum wages in 2023. Mary McCaughey speaks with Eurofound experts Christine Aumayr-Pintar and Carlos Vacas-Soriano about the adequacy of minimum wages in Europe as they stand at the moment, how the EU has sought to improve the situation of low-wage earners through a Directive on adequate minimum wages, and how widespread the issue of minimum wage non-compliance is in the European Union.

15 June 2022

Blogindlæg

How to ensure adequate minimum wages in an age of inflation

Minimum wages have risen significantly in 2022, as the EU Member States leave behind the cautious mood of the pandemic. However, rising inflation is eating up these wage increases, and only flexibility in the regular minimum wage setting processes may avoid generalised losses in purchasing power among minimum wage earners. On 6 June 2022, the Council of the EU and the European Parliament reached a political agreement on the Directive on adequate minimum wages proposed by the Commission in October 2020. Once formally approved, EU Member States will have to transpose it into national law within two years.

9 June 2022

Podcast-episode

Minimum wages

Minimum wages and minimum wage setting processes are not just issues of high political importance in Europe, but also everyday concerns for low-wage earners throughout the EU. In this episode of Eurofound Talks we speak with Senior Research Manager Christine Aumayr-Pintar on the importance of minimum wages in the EU, different processes in place, the latest EU developments in ensuring adequate minimum wages, and the growing issue of inflation for low-wage earners.

18 June 2021

Blogindlæg

Gender pay transparency: Advancing the cause through a truly European proposal

With its proposed directive on gender pay transparency, the European Commission has significantly bolstered the set of tools for delivering its objectives compared to those presented in its 2014 Recommendation. The proposed portfolio of measures addresses many shortcomings of the instruments that national authorities currently employ. And while some issues will still require clarification, further reflection or debate during the negotiations, the proposal is a truly European one: it draws on good practice from the policies of different countries rather than taking the approach of just one as a blueprint.

8 June 2021

Blogindlæg

Minimum wages rise again, but the pandemic puts a brake on their growth

Decision-makers approached minimum wage setting for 2021 cautiously due to the economic uncertainty caused by the pandemic. Despite this, nominal statutory minimum wages rose in most Member States and the UK, although at lower rates than in recent years.

6 November 2020

Blogindlæg

Are simple statistics enough? On the benefits of gender pay reports and audits

Following a sluggish response by many Member States to introduce or modify gender pay transparency measures, as it recommended in 2014, the European Commission intends to table a proposal for EU-level legislation on pay transparency later in 2020. In this context, a new Eurofound study investigated whether key people at company level see these measures as useful or beneficial. The results show that the richer pay audits are favoured over the simpler pay reports in terms of their perceived usefulness. Both managers and employee representatives agree on this.

28 October 2020

Blogindlæg

New impetus to collective bargaining: Insights from the ECS

In the context of the ongoing trend of a fall in collective bargaining coverage, and recent calls at EU level to promote collective bargaining coverage as an instrument to support fair and decent wages, new data from Eurofound’s fourth European Company Survey (ECS) show that two-thirds of workers (in private sector establishments with more than 10 employees in the EU) are estimated to have their wages set via a collective wage agreement.

15 January 2020

Blogindlæg

Fears and hopes around future minimum wages

As one of their ‘100 days in office’ initiatives, the new European Commission intends to propose an initiative for an EU minimum wage. The aim is that by 2024 every worker in the EU should earn a fair and adequate wage, no matter where they live.

17 April 2019

Blogindlæg

Seniority entitlements: A policy of the past, or a fix for the future?

Seniority entitlements have largely been on the decline since the 1990s, and have been gradually phased-out from legislation in Europe, as well as in collective agreements. However, it would be premature to dismiss seniority-based entitlements as a thing of the past, as they remain in force across Europe, even if the more expansive term of ‘relevant experience’ is preferred. As we look to the future, we ask whether seniority-based entitlements have a renewed role in a European labour market challenged by demographic ageing and a need to keep people working for longer, or whether they are a relic of the past that contribute to inter-generational inequity, under-performance, and lower employment prospects of older workers.

4 February 2019

Blogindlæg

Slow start for gender pay transparency in Germany

One year after Germany’s introduction of the Entgelttransparenzgesetz (Wage Transparency Act), the results are somewhat underwhelming. This law is Germany’s take on the European Commission’s recommendation on introducing pay transparency measures to combat the gender pay gap.

11 October 2018

Blogindlæg

Progress in paternity and parental leave for fathers – Are baby steps enough?

Few events challenge the equilibrium between work and life like the arrival of a child. As gender roles continue to change in Europe, supporting the uptake of paternity and parental leave among fathers is fundamental, not just to close the ‘caring gap’ between men and women, but also to provide the best possible outlook for coming generations.

28 February 2018

Blogindlæg

Ten points about pay transparency in Europe’s companies

Measures to promote gender pay transparency haven’t been delivered yet in half of Europe – making EU level legislative action to speed up implementation an option. In this blog, originally posted in Social Europe, Christine Aumayr-Pintar details what we know about the measures from countries that have been early adopters.

3 November 2017

Blogindlæg

Pay inequalities come back into focus in post-crisis Europe

The ability to make ends meet is a vital issue for many Europeans and an important priority for European policymakers. In the immediate aftermath of the 2008 economic crisis the initial focus was to mitigate and reverse job loss, particularly in the countries most affected. With employment back to pre-crisis levels and unemployment on the decline, attention is turning to income inequality, and in particular pay inequality; an issue with ramifications beyond the labour market, and one which may well prove as intractable as the issue of unemployment in the previous decade.

Other members of the Working life research unit

Find more staff members of the Working life research unit below.

Felix Appler

Research support officer
Working life research

Felix Appler er forskningsstøttemedarbejder i Eurofounds arbejdslivsenhed. Hans arbejde fokuserer på arbejdsmarkedsrelationer, mindstelønninger og opbygning af databaser forbundet med disse emner. Tidligere arbejdede han for Tysklands føderale statistiske kontor (Destatis) og Verdensbanken i Østafrika med husstandsundersøgelser og forskning i arbejdsmarkeder og fattigdom. Felix har en kandidatgrad i økonomi fra universitetet i Bonn.

Angelina Atanasova

Research support officer
Working life research

Angelina Atanasova er forskningsstøttemedarbejder i Eurofounds arbejdslivsenhed. Hendes nuværende forskningsemner omfatter social dialog og arbejdsmarkedsrelationer samt handicaprettigheder. Før hun kom til Eurofound i 2024, arbejdede hun som seniorpolitisk analytiker ved Applied Research and Communications Fund, forsker ved Det Europæiske Sociale Observatorium, forskningsassistent ved KU Leuven og politisk konsulent ved Open Society European Policy Institute. Hun har en ph.d. i EU-ret fra KU Leuven og en MA i offentlig politik fra Central European University. Hendes primære forskningsområder omfatter handicaprettigheder, ligestilling og social inklusion.

Elena Biaggi

Temporary research support officer
Working life research

Elena Biaggi is a temporary research support officer in the Working Life unit at Eurofound. Having completed a traineeship at Eurofound working on digitalisation in SMEs, her current role focuses on working time reduction. Her main research interests include digitalisation and work, how the world of work is changing and how this change impacts working conditions and job quality. Elena has a Master’s degree in Global Politics and Society from the University of Milan.

Jorge Cabrita

Senior research manager
Working life research

Jorge Cabrita is a senior research manager in the Working Life unit. He is responsible for formulating, coordinating and managing European-wide research, and promoting the dissemination of findings in the areas of working conditions and industrial relations. His main research areas of interest include working conditions and job quality, working time and work–life balance, workers’ health and well-being, gender equality and the socioeconomic impacts of the transition to a climate-neutral economy. He is currently leading research on working time developments and on social dialogue and collective bargaining during the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, he worked as a researcher at the Centre for Studies for Social Intervention and at the Research Centre on the Portuguese Economy of the Lisbon School of Economics, and as a trainer and consultant in the areas of strategic management, organisational communication, leadership and team building. He holds a BSc in Economics and an MSc in Socio-Organisational Systems of Economic Activity from the Lisbon School of Economics.

Daphné Chédorge-Farnier

Temporary research support officer
Working life research

Daphné Chédorge-Farnier is a temporary research support officer in the Working Life unit at Eurofound. She contributes to the preparation of the follow-up survey to the European Working Conditions Survey 2024 and is involved in research on working time reduction. Prior to this, she worked as a survey trainee in the Social Policies unit. Before joining Eurofound, Daphné worked as a research officer specialising in working conditions and social policy at the Direction générale de l'administration de la fonction publique (DGAFP) in Paris. She holds a Master’s degree in Sociology from Sorbonne University.

Victoria Cojocariu

Research officer
Working life research

Victoria Cojocariu er forskningsmedarbejder for repræsentativitetsundersøgelserne i Eurofounds arbejdslivsenhed. Hun er ansvarlig for forvaltningen af forskningsinput fra Eurofounds nationale korrespondenter, kvalitetskontrol samt for udarbejdelse af oversigtsrapporter for sektorspecifikke repræsentativitetsundersøgelser og dataopbygning til den europæiske database over arbejdsmarkedets parter. Før hun kom til Eurofound i 2019, arbejdede Victoria som programkoordinator for Open Society Foundation Romania og som forsker for Center for Public Innovation i Bukarest, hvor hun bidrog til nationale og internationale forskningsprojekter inden for migration, uddannelse, adgang til arbejdsmarkedet for tredjelandsstatsborgere samt menneskerettigheder. Hun har en bachelor- og kandidatgrad i sociologi.

Franz Ferdinand Eiffe

Research manager
Working life research

Franz Eiffe er forskningsleder i Eurofounds arbejdslivsenhed. Han er involveret i projekter om bæredygtigt arbejde, kvantitative analyser og opadgående konvergens i EU samt i udarbejdelsen af den fjerde europæiske virksomhedsundersøgelse. Før han kom til Eurofound i 2016, var han kontorchef for "Analyse" hos Østrigs Statistik i Wien og projektleder for "Hvordan er Østrig? Måling af velstand og fremskridt ud over BNP". Han har en ph.d. i økonomi fra Wiens Økonomiske Universitet (WU), hvor han også arbejdede som forskningsassistent fra 2005 til 2009 og lektor indtil 2016.

Barbara Gerstenberger

​Head of Unit
Working life research

Barbara Gerstenberger er leder af Eurofounds arbejdslivsenhed. I denne rolle koordinerer hun de forskerhold, der undersøger jobkvalitet i Europa på grundlag af den europæiske undersøgelse af arbejdsvilkårene, og har det overordnede ansvar for Det Europæiske Observationscenter for Arbejdsliv og forskning i arbejdsmarkedsrelationer i EU. Hun kom til Eurofound i 2001 som forskningsleder i det dengang nyoprettede Europæiske Overvågningscenter for Forandring (EMCC). I 2007 flyttede hun til Eurofounds informations- og kommunikationsenhed som chef for kommunikationsprodukter, inden hun blev udnævnt til koordinator i direktoratet i 2011. Tidligere arbejdede hun som seniorforsker i European Metalworkers' Federation i Bruxelles. Hun er uddannet i statskundskab fra Hamborg Universitet og har en kandidatgrad i offentlig administration ved Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

Manuel Gómez Martín

Administrative assistant
Working life research

Manuel Gómez Martín er administrativ assistent i arbejdslivsenheden. Han er hovedsageligt involveret i arbejdsmarkedsområdet og organiserer specifikt indkøb og møder inden for relaterede projekter. Han har tidligere arbejdet for GD JRC i Europa-Kommissionen og for private virksomheder i London og Spanien.

Peter Kerckhofs

Senior research manager
Working life research

Peter Kerckhofs er seniorforskningsleder i Eurofounds arbejdslivsenhed. Hans arbejde fokuserer på arbejdsmarkedets parters rolle i det europæiske semester og også på national rapportering om udviklingen i arbejdsmarkedsrelationerne. Peter har en bred ekspertise i at udvikle metodologien til repræsentativitetsundersøgelser, anvende europæiske og nationale repræsentativitetskriterier i den specifikke kontekst af forskellige sektorer, samtidig med at han har opbygget et indgående kendskab til arbejdsmarkedsforholdene i forskellige sektorer. Peter har også arbejdet på projekter relateret til europæiske samarbejdsudvalg og den europæiske sektordialog. Før han kom til Eurofound, arbejdede han som forsker for ETUI og UCL, som politisk sekretær for EMCEF og var videnskabelig koordinator for ph.d.-skolen for det samfundsvidenskabelige fakultet ved KU Leuven. Han har en bachelorgrad i socialt arbejde og en kandidatgrad i statskundskab fra KU Leuven og en i internationale relationer fra UCL og har en ph.d. i arbejdsmarkedsrelationer fra University of Manchester.

Sophia MacGoris

Surveys officer
Working life research

Sophia MacGoris er undersøgelsesmedarbejder med base i Eurofounds arbejdslivsenhed. Hun arbejder på alle tre af Eurofounds undersøgelser. Efter at have været involveret i tværnationale undersøgelser i mange år bruger hun sin erfaring og sin tværgående rolle til at sikre kontinuitet i læring og kvalitetssikring på højeste niveau under hele undersøgelsesprocessen. Før hun kom til Eurofound i 1996, arbejdede hun i flere år i Europa-Kommissionen i Bruxelles inden for videnskab, forskning og udvikling. Hun har en BSc (Hons) i samfundsvidenskab med speciale i socialpolitik.

Pietro Malacalza

Research assistant
Working life research

Pietro Malacalza er forskningsassistent i Eurofounds arbejdslivsenhed og har tidligere arbejdet med operationel støtte. Hans arbejde omfatter støtte til netværket af Eurofound-korrespondenter, herunder kvalitetskontrol, opsummering af nationale bidrag til forskningsrapporter og databaser, overvågning af individuelle leverancer og kodning af information i kvalitativ forskningssoftware. Før han kom til Eurofound, arbejdede han som projektledelseskonsulent for Europa-Kommissionens Fælles Forskningscenter (JRC) og arbejdede også i forskellige roller i IT-, luftfarts- og fødevareindustrien. Han har en grad i statskundskab fra universitetet i Milano og en Project Management Professional (PMP) certificering.

Agnès Parent-Thirion

Senior research manager
Working life research

Agnès Parent-Thirion er seniorforskningsleder i Eurofounds arbejdslivsenhed, der har til opgave at planlægge, udvikle og gennemføre forskningsprojekter om arbejdsvilkår, navnlig den europæiske undersøgelse af arbejdsvilkårene (EWCS) og analyserne heraf. Hun er ansvarlig for den ekstraordinære udgave af EWCS 2021 og for udarbejdelsen af spørgeskemaet til EWCS 2024. Hendes forskningsinteresser omfatter arbejdsforhold, jobkvalitet, overvågning af arbejdsvilkår, arbejdstilrettelæggelse, køn, fremtidens arbejde og tid. Hun har arbejdet inden for europæiske sammenlignende undersøgelser i mere end et årti inden for alle aspekter, herunder design, udvikling af spørgeskemaer, feltarbejde, kvalitetskontrol og analyse. Hun er uddannet i økonomi og ledelse fra Paris IX Dauphine og Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne universiteter og har en postgraduate diplom i statistik fra Trinity College Dublin. Hun har for nylig gennemført onlinekurser om kunstig intelligens: undersøgelsesdrevet ledelse med MIT Sloan Executive Education og 'Les grand enjeux de la transition: re-ouvrir l'horizon, comprendre pour agir' med Campus de la Transition. Før hun kom til Eurofound, arbejdede hun i en årrække i Europa-Kommissionen.

Sara Riso

Senior research manager
Working life research

Sara Riso joined Eurofound in 2006 and is currently a senior research manager in the Working Life unit. She is engaged in research projects focusing on digitalisation and working conditions. Before joining Eurofound, Sara managed research projects for large Brussels-based European associations and networks. Her academic background is in psychology, communication and languages. Her main research interest lies in exploring new workplace stressors arising from increased digitalisation of work, evolving organisational practices, and change management strategies to address the challenges posed by digitalisation in modern working environments.

Mária Sedláková

Research officer
Working life research

Mária Sedláková er forskningsmedarbejder i Eurofounds arbejdslivsenhed. Hun er ansvarlig for udarbejdelse af oversigtsrapporter for sektorrepræsentativitetsundersøgelser, styring og kvalitetskontrol af national rapportering om arbejdsmarkedsrelationer, social dialog og arbejdsliv samt udvikling af et projekt om kollektive forhandlinger ud over løn. Før hun kom til Eurofound, arbejdede hun som teknisk forskningsmedarbejder i afdelingen for regeringsførelse og trepartssamarbejde i Den Internationale Arbejdsorganisation i Genève på flagskibsrapporten om den sociale dialog 2022. Hun arbejdede også som forsker ved Central European Labour Studies Institute i Bratislava (2013-2020) med fokus på social dialog, kollektive forhandlinger, arbejdsvilkår og arbejdssociologi. Maria har en kandidatgrad i statskundskab med speciale i komparativ europæisk politik fra Central European University.

Oscar Vargas Llave

Senior research manager
Working life research

Oscar Vargas Llave is a senior research manager in the Working Life unit at Eurofound and manages projects on changes in the world of work and the impact on working conditions and related policies: organisation of working time, remote work, the right to disconnect, health and well-being and ageing. Before joining Eurofound in December 2009, he worked as project coordinator in the field of health and safety and was responsible for the Professional Card Scheme for the Construction Sector in Spain at the non-profit Fundación Laboral de la Construcción in Madrid. He has a background in industrial sociology (Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca), and also holds a Diploma in Social Science Research Methods from the University of Cardiff and a Master’s degree in Health and Safety from the Autonomous University of Madrid.

Tina Weber

Senior research manager
Working life research

Tina Weber is a senior research manager in Eurofound’s Working Life unit. Her work has focused on labour shortages, the impact of hybrid work and an ‘always on’ culture and the right to disconnect, working conditions and social protection measures for self-employed workers and the impact of the twin transitions on employment, working conditions and industrial relations. She is responsible for studies assessing the representativeness of European social partner organisations. She has also carried out research on European Works Councils and the evolution of industrial relations and social dialogue in the European Union. Prior to joining Eurofound in 2019, she worked for a private research institute primarily carrying out impact assessments and evaluations of EU labour law and labour market policies. Tina holds a PhD in Political Sciences from the University of Edinburgh which focussed on the role of national trade unions and employers’ organisations in the European social dialogue.

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