5 January 2012

Insiders and Outsiders – the range of the Danish model

Anthology by Trine P. Larsen (edt.)

Insider og OutsiderThis anthology examines how the Danish labour market regulation model reacts to the challenges arising in the wake of the increasing number of employees who choose not to join the unions or are not covered by collective agreements. In addtion, the relation between the core-parameters of the Danish model and the wages, working time and level of organisation of particular groups at the Danish labour market are analysed. Furthermore, it is discussed whether or not the long-term existence of the model is threatened by the growing number of employees not encompassed by the model.

The anthology focuses on particular groups of employees; members of the alternative so-called "yellow" unions, unorganised employees, new labour-migrants, non-western immigrants and their descendants, temporary agency workers, contingent workers, part-time employees, and self-employed . In relation to the Danish model, by which the typical insider is a full-time employee with a permanent contract, who is member of a traditional union and an unemployment fund and employed in a firm covered by a collective agreement, these groups are outsiders.

The anthology draws on a number of studies conducted by researchers from FAOS over the last couple of years. The idea of compiling an anthology occurred when FAOS in the fall of 2009 offered a new course for sociology master students at University of Copenhagen regarding the Danish labour market regulation and its effect on different groups of employees. In that process it turned out, that although there is a wide range of theoretical and empiric studies on wage and working conditions on the Danish labour market, there are relatively few studies that have specifically dealt with how the Danish model relates to the insider/outsider-problem. In other words: exploring whether and why some groups of employees experience less favorable wage and working conditions than their colleagues.

The anthology is edited by Trine P. Larsen and contains contributions from Søren Kaj Andersen, Jens Arnholtz, Jesper Due, Nana Wesley Hansen, Christian Lyhne Ibsen, Carsten Jørgensen, Rasmus Karkov, Trine P. Larsen, Maria da Paz Campos Lima, Jørgen Steen Madsen, Mikkel Mailand and Steen E. Navrbjerg.

The anthology is published by Djøf and can be purchased at the publisher's web-page.

Go to Djøf's webpage (in Danish).