Anticipating and managing the impact of change. Restructuring trends in retail banking : Case study on CaixaBank (Spain)

The collective dismissal plan of CaixaBank in 2021 is the largest of the Spanish banking sector and the third largest in the history of the private sector at national level. This last restructuring of the company based in Barcelona is illustrative of the last decade of deep restructuring of the commercial banking sector in Spain. Restructuring has been mostly motivated by regulatory constraints and mergers, together with digitalisation and financial problems in some cases. After three collective dismissal plans in the last six years, Caixabank announced its merger project with the financial services company, based in Madrid, Bankia. Months later, it announced its plan to adjust employment and branch offices to solve duplication problems. The bargaining process provoked the first general strike in the history of the entity and finally resulted in a satisfactory agreement for both parties, reducing the number of affected workers, avoiding non-voluntary leaves, implementing internal relocations as alternative, and proposing economic compensations above the minimum legal.The first section of this case study examines national and sectoral trends in terms of causes of restructuring processes and impact on employment. Section two discusses the background of the company under study and then focuses on the development of the bargaining process, the terms of the agreement, its implementation and the support provided to affected workers. Last section provides conclusions and highlights relevant aspects to consider in similar restructuring cases

Union innovative services. The case of Spain

Altres ajuts: CE/VS/2019/0079The BreakBack Project focuses on "service provision" as a strategy through which unions aim to enhance their membership, to "revitalize" action and to relaunch the role of an inclusive and innovative social dialogue, by reaching groups and individuals who are often excluded from protection. We refer to employees commonly identified as "vulnerable" (non-standard employment, digital workers, etc.). BreakBack deals with self-employed workers, the I-pros and freelancers

The industrial relations chameleon : collective bargaining in the facility management business

Altres ajuts: Acord CSUC-EmeraldThe authors would like to thank the research team of the "Relaunching Collective Bargaining Coverage in Outsourced Services - RECOVER" projectThe paper aims to analyze collective bargaining in the facility management business of these six countries to explore similarities and differences between them. The analysis serves to test the differential impact of the national institutional setting on the protection provided by collective agreements to facility management workers. Design/methodology/approach - The paper adopts a case study methodology to approach a facility management multinational company providing services in six European countries (France, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the UK) that represent different industrial relations systems with variance in key dimensions of collective bargaining, including its structure, coverage and extension of agreements. Findings - The extension of the facility management business model has not always adopted a high-road strategy aimed at enhancing the quality and efficiency through the integrated management and delivery of services, which is expected to positively impact employment conditions. Rather, it has, in many cases, been a deliberate, low-road attempt to undercut working standards, taking advantage of the multiple services provided by the company in a context of growing de-centralization in collective bargaining. The results point to an important role of industrial relations institutions in shaping facility management strategies and outcomes. Originality/value - Similar to other forms of outsourcing, facility management leads to fragmented employment relations. However, the concentration of outsourced workers under the same supplier organization introduces opportunities to ensure the protection of workers, depending on the adoption of a high- or low-road competitive strategy. This paper provides for the first time comparative evidence about industrial relations in facility management businesses, a largely under-researched area

Permitted to work but lacking opportunities to integrate - asylum seekers and refugees on the mezzanine in Spain

This chapter offers an overview of the integration of refugees and asylum seekers into the Spanish labour market in the context of changing migration flows. The analysis is based on the official data of the Ministry of Labour and the Home Office, available as of December 2019, as well as surveys, research reports and interviews with key actors and experts

Industrial relations in deep water : the Spanish public sector during the crisis

For many years, in most European countries, the public sector has been under pressure to reduce expenditure and increase efficiency. Long-term pressures on the public sector, and especially the recent austerity drives following from the crisis, have led to reforms and cuts in public budgets with serious negative effects on the European Social Model, on the quality of public services and on social outcomes, including health and inequality. This book analyses the evolution of employment, job quality and labour relations in the public sector since the 2008 crisis in nine EU Member States: Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Slovakia, Spain, Czech Republic, and the UK

La qualitat de l'ocupació externalitzada

Alejandro Godino Pons ha estudiat en la seva tesi doctoral l'impacte que les dinàmiques d'externalització tenen sobre la qualitat de l'ocupació. En particular, desenvolupa una anàlisi multiestratégic enfocant-se en sectors, empreses i vida quotidiana dels individus vinculats a serveis externalitzats (concretament neteja, contact-center i càtering de col·lectivitats) recorrent a una articulació de diferents fonts estadístiques i d'informació. A més, analitza el pes relatiu de la privatització en el sector públic i la seva incidència en diferents administracions.Alejandro Godino Pons ha estudiado en su tesis doctoral el impacto que las dinámicas de externalización tienen sobre la calidad del empleo. En particular, desarrolla un análisis multiestratégico enfocándose en sectores, empresas y vida cotidiana de los individuos vinculados a servicios externalizados (concretamente limpieza, contact-center y catering de colectividades) así como recurriendo a una articulación de diferentes fuentes estadísticas y de información. Además, analiza el peso relativo de la privatización en el sector público y su incidencia en diferentes administraciones

Desempleo y política de "ingresos adecuados" en España e Italia

Las políticas de austeridad han reducido significativamente los márgenes de negociación de la política social en el contexto del diálogo social tripartito. De esta manera, los gobiernos de España e Italia han seguido una política de transferencia del riesgo hacia el ámbito territorial y local. Es precisamente en estos ámbitos donde se implementan las políticas de ingresos dirigidas a amortiguar situaciones de pobreza severa. Como resultado de esto, en la actualidad el sistema de ingresos mínimos está desarticulado y fragmentado, caracterizado por una escasa coordinación vertical (entre los diferentes niveles de gobierno) y horizontal (entre los actores), tanto en España como Italia. En cualquier caso, se observa como el discurso de la "inclusión activa" se ha extendido en los dos países, aunque con diferente énfasis. La política de ingresos mediante subsidios y ayudas ha estado ligada a la condicionalidad de la activación de los desempleados. El principio de condicionalidad es una tendencia vinculada a la exigencia de formación, disponibilidad y de aceptación de cualquier oferta de trabajo. La devaluación competitiva de los salarios y la condicionalidad son dos poderosos instrumentos de disciplina social orientada hacia la reducción del coste laboral y de la protección social.Les polítiques d'austeritat han reduït significativament els marges de negociació de la política social en el context del diàleg social tripartit. D'aquesta manera, els governs d'Espanya i Itàlia han seguit una política de transferència del risc cap a l'àmbit territorial i local. És precisament en aquests àmbits on s'implementen les polítiques d'ingressos dirigides a esmorteir situacions de pobresa severa. Com a resultat en l'actualitat el sistema d'ingressos mínims està desarticulat i fragmentat, caracteritzat per una escassa coordinació vertical (entre els diferents nivells de govern) i horitzontal (entre els actors), tant a Espanya com Itàlia. En qualsevol cas, s'observa com el discurs de la "inclusió activa" s'ha estès als dos països, encara que amb diferent èmfasi. La política d'ingressos mitjançant subsidis i ajudes ha estat lligada a la condicionalitat de l'activació dels aturats. El principi de condicionalitat és una tendència vinculada a l'exigència de formació, disponibilitat i d'acceptació de qualsevol oferta de treball. La devaluació competitiva dels salaris i la condicionalitat són dos poderosos instruments de disciplina social orientada cap a la reducció del cost laboral i de la protecció social.Austerity policies have significantly reduced trading margins of social policy in the context of tripartite Social Dialogue. Thus, the governments of Spain and Italy have followed a policy of risk transfer to territorial and local levels. It is in these areas where incomes policies aimed at cushioning situations of severe poverty are implemented. As a result, at present the minimum income system is disjointed and fragmented, characterized by weak vertical coordination (between different levels of government) and horizontal (between actors), both in Spain and Italy. In any case, it is seen as the discourse of "active inclusion" has spread in both countries, although with different emphasis. Incomes policy through subsidies and aid has been tied to the conditionality of the activation of the unemployed. The principle of conditionality is a trend linked to the demand for training, availability and acceptance of any job. Competitive devaluation of wages and conditionality are two powerful instruments of social discipline aimed at reducing labour costs and social protection

¿Movilidad territorial y sectorial como respuesta a la crisis?

Background of INCASI Project H2020-MSCA-RISE-2015 GA 691004. WP1: Compilatio