Tackling Precarious Work in Public Supply Chains: A Comparison of Local Government Procurement Policies in Denmark, Germany and the UK

TY - JOUR

T1 - Tackling Precarious Work in Public Supply Chains

T2 - A Comparison of Local Government Procurement Policies in Denmark, Germany and the UK

AU - Jaehrling, Karen

AU - Johnson, Mathew

AU - Larsen, Trine Pernille

AU - Refslund, Bjarke

AU - Grimshaw, Damien

PY - 2018/6/1

Y1 - 2018/6/1

N2 - Through a cross-national comparative study of local government ‘best practice cases’ of socially responsible procurement in Denmark, Germany and the UK, this article critically examines the role of labour clauses in addressing issues of low wages and precarious work in public supply chains. It provides new insights on the negotiations and outcomes of labour clauses across different stages of the policy process, including implementation and monitoring. The analysis demonstrates the importance of pragmatic alliances of progressive local politicians, unions and employers in ensuring that socially responsible procurement moves beyond rhetoric, along with supportive national and sectoral employment regimes. Labour clauses can compensate for weak systems of labour market regulation by setting higher standards for outsourced workers, while they play a complementary role in more regulated labour markets by levelling up wages and working conditions to prevailing collectively agreed standards.

AB - Through a cross-national comparative study of local government ‘best practice cases’ of socially responsible procurement in Denmark, Germany and the UK, this article critically examines the role of labour clauses in addressing issues of low wages and precarious work in public supply chains. It provides new insights on the negotiations and outcomes of labour clauses across different stages of the policy process, including implementation and monitoring. The analysis demonstrates the importance of pragmatic alliances of progressive local politicians, unions and employers in ensuring that socially responsible procurement moves beyond rhetoric, along with supportive national and sectoral employment regimes. Labour clauses can compensate for weak systems of labour market regulation by setting higher standards for outsourced workers, while they play a complementary role in more regulated labour markets by levelling up wages and working conditions to prevailing collectively agreed standards.

KW - Faculty of Social Sciences

KW - labour clause

KW - precarious work

KW - public outsourcing

KW - public procurement

KW - public services

U2 - 10.1177/0950017018758216

DO - 10.1177/0950017018758216

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0950-0170

VL - 32

SP - 546

EP - 563

JO - Work, Employment and Society

JF - Work, Employment and Society

IS - 3

ER -