Forced Flexibility and Exploitation: Experiences of Migrant Workers in the Cleaning Industry
Globalization has resulted in structural changes in the labor markets over the last decades. These changes have weakened some of the economic and social dimensions of work. At the same time, migration and especially labor migration have increased on the global level. This article looks at the situat...
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Aalborg University
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doaj-13baaa2013c344488620eeaef4e2d8a92020-11-25T00:40:41ZengAalborg UniversityNordic Journal of Working Life Studies2245-01572016-03-016110.19154/njwls.v6i1.490824058Forced Flexibility and Exploitation: Experiences of Migrant Workers in the Cleaning IndustryNatalia Ollus0European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control, affiliated with the United Nations (HEUNI), Finland; Doctoral Candidate, Faculty of Law, University of TurkuGlobalization has resulted in structural changes in the labor markets over the last decades. These changes have weakened some of the economic and social dimensions of work. At the same time, migration and especially labor migration have increased on the global level. This article looks at the situation of migrant workers in the cleaning industry in Finland. It is based on interviews with migrant workers who have experienced labor exploitation in the cleaning industry, representatives of cleaning industry employers, and representatives of labor unions. The primary aim is to give voice to the migrant workers themselves and to analyze how they experience their work and their position in working life. The findings suggest that there is a risk that migrant workers in the cleaning sector experience various forms of exploitation. This article argues that the demand and need for (employee) flexibility may turn into forced flexibility that exploits the powerless and vulnerable migrant workers who have few other options than to agree to work on poor terms. The article suggests that the structural reasons that make the exploitation of migrant labor possible should be identified and addressed in order to prevent misuse of any workers, especially migrants.https://tidsskrift.dk/njwls/article/view/26662Employmentwagesunemployment & rehabilitationGenderethnicityage & diversity |
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DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Natalia Ollus |
spellingShingle |
Natalia Ollus Forced Flexibility and Exploitation: Experiences of Migrant Workers in the Cleaning Industry Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies Employment wages unemployment & rehabilitation Gender ethnicity age & diversity |
author_facet |
Natalia Ollus |
author_sort |
Natalia Ollus |
title |
Forced Flexibility and Exploitation: Experiences of Migrant Workers in the Cleaning Industry |
title_short |
Forced Flexibility and Exploitation: Experiences of Migrant Workers in the Cleaning Industry |
title_full |
Forced Flexibility and Exploitation: Experiences of Migrant Workers in the Cleaning Industry |
title_fullStr |
Forced Flexibility and Exploitation: Experiences of Migrant Workers in the Cleaning Industry |
title_full_unstemmed |
Forced Flexibility and Exploitation: Experiences of Migrant Workers in the Cleaning Industry |
title_sort |
forced flexibility and exploitation: experiences of migrant workers in the cleaning industry |
publisher |
Aalborg University |
series |
Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies |
issn |
2245-0157 |
publishDate |
2016-03-01 |
description |
Globalization has resulted in structural changes in the labor markets over the last decades. These changes have weakened some of the economic and social dimensions of work. At the same time, migration and especially labor migration have increased on the global level. This article looks at the situation of migrant workers in the cleaning industry in Finland. It is based on interviews with migrant workers who have experienced labor exploitation in the cleaning industry, representatives of cleaning industry employers, and representatives of labor unions. The primary aim is to give voice to the migrant workers themselves and to analyze how they experience their work and their position in working life. The findings suggest that there is a risk that migrant workers in the cleaning sector experience various forms of exploitation. This article argues that the demand and need for (employee) flexibility may turn into forced flexibility that exploits the powerless and vulnerable migrant workers who have few other options than to agree to work on poor terms. The article suggests that the structural reasons that make the exploitation of migrant labor possible should be identified and addressed in order to prevent misuse of any workers, especially migrants. |
topic |
Employment wages unemployment & rehabilitation Gender ethnicity age & diversity |
url |
https://tidsskrift.dk/njwls/article/view/26662 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT nataliaollus forcedflexibilityandexploitationexperiencesofmigrantworkersinthecleaningindustry |
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