Documents Jódar, Pere 12 results

"When there are safety representatives (SRs) at the workplace higher levels of preventive action have been observed. However, no study has analyzed workers' health and safety results when workers (do not) know they have SRs. Based on data from the VII Spanish Working Conditions Survey (2011), this paper explores differences in the intensity of self-reported preventive action among workers reporting to have SRs at their workplaces, workers reporting not having them, and workers unaware of SRs' existence. The sample included employees aged 16–65 years working at firms with 6 workers or more (n = 5562). A multinomial logistic regression was undertaken to study the association between the reported existence of SRs and levels of preventive action (high, intermediate and non-existent), comparing workers unaware of SRs' existence to those reporting to have SRs and those reporting no SRs. Models were adjusted by socio-demographic and employment-related features. It was found that workers reporting SRs' existence were protected by greater preventive action, both at the intermediate (aOR = 2.87, 95% CI 2.39–3.44) and high level (aOR = 10.26, 95% CI 7.27–14.50), and that there were no statistically significant differences between workers reporting not to have SRs and those unaware of SRs. Our results draw attention to a group of workers who might have SRs without being aware of it and remain less protected by preventive action. These workers would benefit from interventions aimed at making SRs known and available to all workers."

"This article presents an analysis of the characteristics that are associated with union membership duration using data from the membership registers of the largest Spanish trade union: Comisiones Obreras (CCOO, Workers' Commissions). Making use of survival analysis techniques, the results indicate that the shortest membership durations and the highest risks of leaving are associated with workers with poor employment conditions, mainly youth and foreigners, as well as those in firms, economic sectors, and territories where the union has a rather weak presence. As workers in these situations represent the majority of both current joining and leaving rates, the article concludes that retention policies should focus on the early stages of union membership."

"This article analyses the characteristics of members leaving trade unions in Spain – specifically the Catalonia branch of Workers' Commissions (CCOO-Catalonia) – alongside their reasons for leaving, using a variety of data sources. Our findings indicate higher union attrition among members in more precarious employment situations (i.e. temporary employment, low seniority). In general, union leavers confirm that their job situation is an important reason for leaving the union. We therefore conclude that efforts made by unions to support members in vulnerable labour market positions are also important in order to reduce rates of union attrition."

At the beginning of the 21st century, the emergence of new forms of work organization are transforming what had become standard types of work arrangements in industrialized countries. In this new labor market environment, new firms, types of workers, and risk factors are powerfully emerging. Contrary to common belief, emergent occupational health hazards should not be approached only as "technical" or "economic" value-free problems. Instead, many of the challenges faced by occupational health policy makers are predominantly related to professional values and to the political ideologies and economic interests of key stakeholders in the decision-making process. In this paper some of the key principles leading to efficient and equitable occupational health policies in the new work environment are discussed. An alternative is also proposed for dealing with the conditions and settings needed to meet the new challenges related to establishing an effective occupational health policy.

"While existing literature on the changing nature of trade union membership concentrates on unidimensional differences between members, this article proposes a multidimensional typology, which considers demographic characteristics as well as labour market position and length of union membership. Our results allow the identification of different member profiles; these are significantly associated to differences in employment conditions, work participation, job satisfaction and union activism. In the last section of the article, we discuss the practical implications that these different member profiles may have for union policy and organisation."