Labour shortages – turning away from bad jobs

Policy recommendations

Rising labour shortages reflect structural shifts, including the digital and green transitions, as well as a cyclical component in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The policy debate tends to focus on the need for skills and, where they are deemed to be missing, on bringing in those skills through immigration and mobility. Most discussions ignore the role of job quality, even though labour shortages have increased most and are worst in jobs with lower wages and worse conditions.
Tight labour markets can provide workers with opportunities, to some extent making up for the slow erosion of workers’ bargaining power over time. Indeed, this can lead to higher wages, better conditions and higher equality of wages overall.
It is now necessary to support workers and sectors in improving conditions. This can be done by embracing higher minimum standards on wages and quality of work. This aspect should not be neglected.

Labour shortages – turning away from bad jobs - European Economic, Employment and Social Policy, 2023 DOWNLOAD

Eliminating child labour in fisheries and aquaculture – Promoting decent work and sustainable fish value chains

Publications

Worldwide, the majority of child labour is concentrated in the agricultural sector, including fisheries and aquaculture. This brief provides an overview of children’s engagement in child labour in fisheries and aquaculture, the risks they are ex...Read More

TAGS: Agriculture, Horticulture & Landscaping Global

Beyond Massage Parlors: Exposing the Korean Commercial Sex Market in the United States

Publications

Abstract This paper describes the Korean commercial sex market in the U.S. beyond massage parlors. Prior to this study, the U.S. anti-trafficking efforts have heavily focused on combating massage parlors to fight prostitution and sex trafficking of ...Read More

TAGS: Tourism, Hospitality & Recreational Services Asia North America

Human rights fitness of the auditing and certification industry?

Publications

Discussion about mandatory human rights due diligence (HRDD) for corporations is currently on the political agenda of at least 12 European Union member states as well as EU institutions. The EU Commission has announced an HRDD law and the European P...Read More

TAGS: Europe

We Need to Do Better– Let’s End Online Child Sexual Abuse Material Crimes in the USA

GuidancePublications

Despite the astounding growth in child sexual abuse material (CSAM) crimes over the past twenty years, the general public has little understanding about what it means, how vast the problem is, and how violently children are abused in order to produc...Read More

TAGS: Reporting North America