Premium
Extending a model of precarious employment: A qualitative study of immigrant workers in Spain
Author(s) -
Porthé Victoria,
Ahonen Emily,
Vázquez M. Luisa,
Pope Catherine,
Agudelo Andrés Alonso,
García Ana M.,
Amable Marcelo,
Benavides Fernando G.,
Benach Joan
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/ajim.20781
Subject(s) - immigration , precarious work , demographic economics , medicine , labour economics , temporary work , qualitative research , work (physics) , sociology , economics , political science , engineering , mechanical engineering , law , social science
Background Since the 1980s, changes in the labor market have modified power relations between capital and labor, leading to greater levels of precarious employment among workers. Globalization has led to a growth in migration, as people leave their countries in search of work. We aimed to describe the dimensions of precarious employment for immigrant workers in Spain. Methods Qualitative study using analytic induction. Criterion sampling was used to recruit 129 immigrant workers in Spain with documented and undocumented administrative status. Data quality was ensured by triangulation. Results Immigrant workers reported that precarious employment is characterized by high job instability, a lack of power for negotiating employment conditions, and defenselessness against high labor demands. They described insufficient wages, long working hours, limited social benefits, and difficulty in exercising their rights. Undocumented workers reported greater defenselessness and worse employment conditions. Conclusions This study allowed us to describe the dimensions of precarious employment in immigrant workers. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53:417–424, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.