Title: Quality of employment in Spain: analysis of the discourse of social agents

Authors: María Arnal; Carlos Prieto; María Caprile

Addresses: Departamento de Sociología V, Facultad de CC. Políticas y Sociología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Campus de Somosaguas, 28223, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain ' Departamento de Sociología I, Facultad de CC. Políticas y Sociología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Campus de Somosaguas, 28223, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain ' CIREM Barcelona, Travessera de les Corts 39-43 lat.2ª 08029, Barcelona, Madrid, Spain

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to present some of the results of our research in the quality of employment in Spain, in particular the study of the quality discourses of trade unions and employers and in general, the quality of employment discourse representing an outlet for union action, which is otherwise thwarted by market globalisation and deregulation. At the same time, it links and combines new discourses, e.g., on conservation or responsible consumers. Employers claim that workers in Spain lack the training needed for quality employment, but they do not accept any responsibility for this inadequacy. Instead, they use it as an excuse for the current low-quality jobs, and maintenance of the status quo until training deficiencies are corrected.

Keywords: employment quality; discourse analysis; globalisation; decent work; employment conditions; precarious jobs; trade unions; employers; flexicurity; Spain; employment discourse; globalisation; deregulation; training deficiencies.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSSS.2012.051144

International Journal of Society Systems Science, 2012 Vol.4 No.4, pp.345 - 368

Published online: 30 Aug 2014 *

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