Trade unions in transnational automotive companies in Russia and Slovakia:prospects for working class power

This article compares industrial relations in production sites in Slovakia and Russia owned by a single transnational automotive firm, Volkswagen. We analyse the empirical data using a working-class power approach. In Slovakia, associational and institutional power is well developed and influenced by the model of German work councils, but structural power is weakly exercised and unions rely on non-conflictual engagement with management. In Russia, structural working-class power remains strong, but the opportunities for transforming this into lasting associational, let alone institutional power, remain limited; thus, new unions make use of unconventional methods of protest to promote worker interests. </jats:p

Das Ende des "Raubbaus"? Der demografische Wandel als Gelegenheitsfenster für nachhaltige Arbeit in Ostdeutschland

Der ostdeutsche Arbeitsmarkt war nach der Wiedervereinigung lange geprägt von einem Überhang qualifizierter Erwerbspersonen und hoher Arbeitslosigkeit. Die Folgen der Transformation legten die Basis für einen fortgesetzten "Raubbau" an der Ressource Arbeitskraft. Inzwischen spitzt sich die demografische Entwicklung insbesondere in den neuen Bundesländern zu. Mit seinen antizipierten Verwerfungen auf dem Arbeitsmarkt sowie für die Finanzierung der Renten- und Sozialversicherungskassen ist der demografische Wandel seit Jahren ein politischer und medialer Dauerbrenner in der Frage, wie den negativen Folgen beizukommen sei. Dabei geht es hauptsächlich um die quantitative Steigerung des Erwerbspersonenpotenzials, die entstehende Fachkräfteengpässe abfedern soll. In den Hintergrund gerät dabei das Gelegenheitsfenster, das der demografische Wandel eröffnet, um Arbeit als Ressource nachhaltiger zu gestalten. Mit einer regional differenzierten Analyse, wie wir sie beispielhaft für Thüringen vornehmen, zeigen wir gleichermaßen auf, welche Hemmnisse einem progressiven Umgang mit dem demografischen Wandel in der betrieblichen Arena im Weg stehen.After German reunification, the labour market in Eastern Germany was characterised by an oversupply of qualified workers and a high rate of unemployment. Given their weak labour market position, many East German workers readily accepted long and flexible hours, low wages and hazardous working conditions. However, demographic developments in the East have contributed to the establishment of new labour market asymmetries, labour has become scarce in some regions and professions. Demographic change has been featured prominently in the media and in political debates, but discussions have mainly focused on its labour market effects and its impact on pensions and social insurance systems. Discussions centred on identifying additional or underused sources of labour in order to counter the emerging shortages of qualified workers. Hardly any attention has been paid to a more qualitative approach that promotes sustainable labour policies and decent work as a means to deal with current shortages. By applying a differentiated regional analysis of Eastern Thuringia, we disclose potential barriers prevailing in regional companies that constrain a progressive approach towards dealing with demographic change

Abgehängt im Aufschwung: Demografie, Arbeit und rechter Protest in Ostdeutschland

Es erscheint paradox: Die Arbeitslosigkeit in Deutschland erreichte vor der Corona-Krise ein historisches Tief, die Wirtschaft feierte Exportrekorde. Dennoch hat der Boom viele Menschen nicht erreicht. Gerade in strukturschwachen Regionen und Städten ist dieser Widerspruch ausgeprägt. Diese Orte gelten als abgehängt, aufgrund des Bevölkerungsrückgangs zeichnet sich keine Verbesserung der Situation ab. Im Leben vieler Menschen macht sich Unzufriedenheit breit. Angesichts niedriger Entlohnung und mangelnder Mitsprachemöglichkeiten am Arbeitsplatz radikalisieren sich Ungerechtigkeitsempfindungen. Die empirische Studie nimmt diese Dynamiken am Beispiel Ostthüringens, einer strukturschwachen und schrumpfenden Region, in den Blick

Beschäftigte mit steigenden Ansprüchen? Erste Ergebnisse der Regionalstudie "Arbeit und Leben" (RAuL)

Das Arbeitspapier präsentiert erste Ergebnisse der Regionalstudie "Arbeit und Leben" (RAuL). Die zugrundeliegende Bevölkerungsbefragung wurde zwischen März und Mai 2016 im Rahmen des BMBF-geförderten Verbundprojekts "rebeko" vom Institut für Soziologie an der Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena durchgeführt. Mittels telefonischer Interviews wurden 2.188 Personen in Ostthüringen zu den Themenkomplexen Arbeit, Gesellschaft, Region und Migration befragt. Die Ergebnisse liefern einen Überblick über die Ansprüche der Menschen an Arbeit, Beschäftigung und Lebensqualität vor dem Hintergrund einer sich verändernden Arbeitsmarktsituation infolge des demografischen Wandels. Darüber hinaus gibt die Studie Auskunft über Einstellungen zur Zuwanderung und die Wahrnehmung der räumlichen Entwicklung in einer strukturschwachen Region

A Direct Measurement of Atmospheric Dispersion in N-band Spectra: Implications for Mid-IR Systems on ELTs

Adaptive optics will almost completely remove the effects of atmospheric turbulence at 10 microns on the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) generation of telescopes. In this paper, we observationally confirm that the next most important limitation to image quality is atmospheric dispersion, rather than telescope diffraction. By using the 6.5 meter MMT with its unique mid-IR adaptive optics system, we measure atmospheric dispersion in the N-band with the newly commissioned spectroscopic mode on MIRAC4-BLINC. Our results indicate that atmospheric dispersion is generally linear in the N-band, although there is some residual curvature. We compare our measurements to theory, and make predictions for ELT Strehls and image FHWM with and without an atmospheric dispersion corrector (ADC). We find that for many mid-IR applications, an ADC will be necessary on ELTs.Comment: 22 pages, 8 figures, accepted to PAS

Recovery of a temperate reef assemblage in a marine protected area following the exclusion of towed demersal fishing.

Marine Protected Areas MPA have been widely used over the last 2 decades to address human impacts on marine habitats within an ecosystem management context. Few studies have quantified recovery of temperate rocky reef communities following the cessation of scallop dredging or demersal trawling. This is critical information for the future management of these habitats to contribute towards conservation and fisheries targets. The Lyme Bay MPA, in south west UK, has excluded towed demersal fishing gear from 206 km(2) of sensitive reef habitat using a Statutory Instrument since July 2008. To assess benthic recovery in this MPA we used a flying video array to survey macro epi-benthos annually from 2008 to 2011. 4 treatments (the New Closure, previously voluntarily Closed Controls and Near or Far Open to fishing Controls) were sampled to test a recovery hypothesis that was defined as 'the New Closure becoming more similar to the Closed Controls and less similar to the Open Controls'. Following the cessation of towed demersal fishing, within three years positive responses were observed for species richness, total abundance, assemblage composition and seven of 13 indicator taxa. Definitive evidence of recovery was noted for species richness and three of the indicator taxa (Pentapora fascialis, Phallusia mammillata and Pecten maximus). While it is hoped that MPAs, which exclude anthropogenic disturbance, will allow functional restoration of goods and services provided by benthic communities, it is an unknown for temperate reef systems. Establishing the likely timescales for restoration is key to future marine management. We demonstrate the early stages of successful recruitment and link these to the potential wider ecosystem benefits including those to commercial fisheries

Is the meiofauna a good indicator for climate change and anthropogenic impacts?

Our planet is changing, and one of the most pressing challenges facing the scientific community revolves around understanding how ecological communities respond to global changes. From coastal to deep-sea ecosystems, ecologists are exploring new areas of research to find model organisms that help predict the future of life on our planet. Among the different categories of organisms, meiofauna offer several advantages for the study of marine benthic ecosystems. This paper reviews the advances in the study of meiofauna with regard to climate change and anthropogenic impacts. Four taxonomic groups are valuable for predicting global changes: foraminifers (especially calcareous forms), nematodes, copepods and ostracods. Environmental variables are fundamental in the interpretation of meiofaunal patterns and multistressor experiments are more informative than single stressor ones, revealing complex ecological and biological interactions. Global change has a general negative effect on meiofauna, with important consequences on benthic food webs. However, some meiofaunal species can be favoured by the extreme conditions induced by global change, as they can exhibit remarkable physiological adaptations. This review highlights the need to incorporate studies on taxonomy, genetics and function of meiofaunal taxa into global change impact research