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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Jenny Rodriguez, Dr Lesley Mearns
Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE X-NONE Purpose: The paper aims to introduce the special issue by problematising labour agency, precariousness, and labour fragmentation as defining themes of the interplay between employment relations, migration and mobility. Design/methodology/approach: Drawing from discussions about the impact of globalisation on changes in features of work and employment, and bringing together theory and research on employment relations and labour migration; the paper discusses the relational spatial and temporal nature of agency; the diverse features of worker experiences of precariousness, and the resulting fragmentation in labour solidarity. Findings: Labour agency, precariousness and labour fragmentation intersect to create the axis of dynamics of hardship and abuse that dominate work experiences of migrant workers in the global labour market. Globalisation has a pervasive impact in articulating and perpetuating systemic processes of closure, entrapment and containment, which are triggered by migration and legitimised by dynamics of employment relations. Originality/value: The paper contributes to current discussions about the interplay between migration, mobility and employment relations and sets out future directions of research to enhance our understanding the role of employment relations to perpetuate, legitimise and normalise dynamics of globalisation that promote the migrant division of labour and create contradictory labour demands and displacements in the global labour market.
Author(s): Rodriguez JK, Mearns L
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Employee Relations
Year: 2012
Volume: 34
Issue: 6
Pages: 580-593
Date deposited: 28/07/2012
ISSN (print): 0142-5455
ISSN (electronic): 1758-7069
Publisher: Emerald Group Publishing Limited
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/01425451211267946
DOI: 10.1108/01425451211267946
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