Union activism in an inclusive model of industrial relations : evidence from an Spanish case

In this article we analyze the reasons, within the context of Spanish industrial relations, for trade union members’ active participation in their regional union. The case of Spain is particularly interesting as the unions’ main activity, collective bargaining, is a public good. The text, based on research involving a representative survey of members of a regional branch of the “Workers” Commissions” (Comisiones Obreras) trade union, provides empirical evidence that the union presence in the workplace has a significant influence on members’ propensity for activism. By contrast, the alternative hypothesis based on instrumental reasons appears of little relevance in the Spanish industrial relations context.

Medios extrajudiciales antónomos de solución de conflictos laborales

Como ya viene reconociendo la doctrina y los propios órganos del Estado desde hace bastantes años que la solución extrajudicial de los conflictos del trabajo tiene un papel trascendental y, por tanto, cada vez más decisiva para la paz social. Ello en buena parte es consecuencia de la crisis de los modelos clásicos de regulación laboral como sucede en otras disciplinas del dere-cho, sirviendo de ejemplo las crisis de la familia, las contiendas por arrendamientos urbanos y los de la propiedad horizontal, especialmente por la falta de agilidad y exceso de formalismo de los sistemas públicos basados únicamente en el poder que ostenta el Estado para solucionar las crisis sociales. La vía extrajudicial no excluye los mecanismos públicos de regulación laboral como son esencialmente los servicios de conciliación y arbitraje de la Administración y los tri-bunales, pero los complementa y alivia de su abultada carga. Es evidente que el mundo del tra-bajo en el aspecto social se ha vuelto muy complejo y ello requiere en la actualidad nuevas formas o métodos variados de solución de conflictos con procedimientos más flexibles, más rápidos y menos reglamentistas cuyo servicio se halle estructurado de forma autónoma y plu-ral sin la intervención directa de la Administración pública. La proximidad al individuo a los afectados resulta más efectiva, siendo los beneficiarios directos en este caso, los trabajado-res y los empresarios.

¿El finiquito tiene siempre valor extintivo de la relación labotral?

ENGLISH: It should be distinguished from the socalled 'balance liquidation and termination' three aspects are mixed sometimes creating confusion: The first, referred to repay outstanding accruals, which has a liquidation value, the second consisting of phrases expressing an added discontinuance of the contract value, which joined in the employment relationship with the worker to the employer, and the third, the waiver claim on the grounds that the debts were paid. The signing of cancellation of outstanding accounts or 'liquidation balance' is not the breaking of the employment relationship, but it might be well if you incorporate the unilateral will not flawed and unequivocally expressed the worker. ESPAÑOL: Se deben distinguir de la denominada"liquidación de saldo y finiquito" tres aspectos que en ocasiones aparecen mezclados creando confusión: El primero, referido a saldar devengos pendientes, lo cual tiene un valor liquidatorio; el segundo, consistente en frases añadidas que expresan un valor extintivo del contrato, el cual unía en la relación laboral al empleador con el trabajador, y el tercero, la renuncia a reclamar por considerar que se han satisfecho las deudas. La firma del documento de cancelación de cuentas pendientes o"liquidación de saldo", no supone la ruptura de la relación laboral, pero podría ser así si incorpora la voluntad unilateral no viciada y expresada inequívocamente del trabajador. CATALÀ: Cal distingir de l'anomenada 'liquidació de saldo i quitança' tres aspectes que de vegades apareixen barrejats creant confusió: El primer, referit a saldar meritacions pendents, la qual cosa té un valor liquidador, el segon, consistent en frases afegides que expressen un valor extintiu del contracte, el qual unia en la relació laboral l'ocupador amb el treballador, i el tercer, la renúncia a reclamar per considerar que s'han satisfet els deutes. La signatura del document de cancel·lació de comptes pendents o 'liquidació de saldo', no suposa la ruptura de la relació laboral, però podria ser així si incorpora la voluntat unilateral no viciada i expressada inequívocament del treballador.

Arxiu de Relacions Laborals Teresa Claramunt

The "Teresa Claramunt Industrial Relations Registry" started as an initiative of the Grup d'Estudis Sociològics sobre la Vida Quotidiana i el Treball (Everyday Life and Work Sociological Research Group), with the aim of starting a compilation where could be centralized the main working papers and publication from enterprise and labour organizations, and to achieve a compilation of the edited production done by the labour ambit.

Industrial district effects and innovation in the Tuscan shipbuilding industry

The aim of the present work is to investigate innovative processes within a geographical cluster, and thus contribute to the debate on the effects of industrial clusters on innovation capacity. In particular, we would like to ascertain whether the advantages of industrial districts in promoting innovation, as already revealed by literature (diffusion of knowledge, social capital and trust, efficient networking), are also keys to success in the Tuscan shipbuilding industry of pleasure and sporting boats. First, we verify the existence of clusters of shipbuilding in Tuscany, using a specific methodology. Next, in the identified clusters, we analyse three innovative networks financed in a policy to support innovation, and examine whether the typical features of a cluster for promoting innovation are at work, using a questionnaire administered to 71 actors. Finally, we develop a performance analysis of the cluster firms and ascertain whether their different behaviours also lead to different performances. The analysis results show that our case records effects of industrial clustering on innovation capacity, such as the important role given to trust and social capital, the significant worth put in interfirm relations and in each partner’s specific competencies, or even the distinctive performance of firms belonging to a cluster.

Evaluation of work-related volatile organic compounds (VOCs) exposition in automotive painting cabins industrial cleanings

Automotive painting cabins are cleaned with several solvents, being great part of them mixtures of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), where the three xylene isomers are the most important constituents. To evaluate the work-related exposition of the cleaners that use these mixtures of solvents, xylenes have been determined in the working ambient air as well as its metabolite, o-m-p-methyl hippuric acid, has been analysed in urine to establish the dermal and respiratory exposition. This evaluation has been done in order to assess the occupational exposure to VOCs and to know the working conditions of the cleaners, but also to evaluate the effectiveness of personal protective equipment (PPE), the engineering control and the work practices.The xylenes have been chosen as indicators of exposition because they are the main components in the cleaning solvents used, with a level of concentration between 50% and 85%.The Xylenes have an occupational exposure limit (8 h TWA) of 50 ppm (221 mg/m3) and a short-term exposure limit (STEL) of 100 ppm (442 mg/m3). On the other hand, the biological exposure index (BEI) for xylenes is the sum of the total methyl hippuric acids in urine at the end of the work-shift, being the value 1500 mg/g creatinine.

The mechanisms of agglomeration: Evidence from the effect of inter-industry relations on the location of new firms

The objective of this paper is to explore the relative importance of each of Marshall's agglomeration mechanisms by examining the location of new manufacturing firms in Spain. In particular, we estimate the count of new firms by industry and location as a function of (pre-determined) local employment levels in industries that: 1) use similar workers (labor market pooling); 2) have a customer- supplier relationship (input sharing); and 3) use similar technologies (knowledge spillovers). We examine the variation in the creation of new firms across cities and across municipalities within large cities to shed light on the geographical scope of each of the three agglomeration mechanisms. We find evidence of all three agglomeration mechanisms, although their incidence differs depending on the geographical scale of the analysis.

The mechanisms of agglomeration: Evidence from the effect of inter-industry relations on the location of new firms

The objective of this paper is to explore the relative importance of each of Marshall's agglomeration mechanisms by examining the location of new manufacturing firms in Spain. In particular, we estimate the count of new firms by industry and location as a function of (pre-determined) local employment levels in industries that: 1) use similar workers (labor market pooling); 2) have a customer- supplier relationship (input sharing); and 3) use similar technologies (knowledge spillovers). We examine the variation in the creation of new firms across cities and across municipalities within large cities to shed light on the geographical scope of each of the three agglomeration mechanisms. We find evidence of all three agglomeration mechanisms, although their incidence differs depending on the geographical scale of the analysis.

Work Organization Practices for Lean Production: A Study in Spanish and Brazilian Manufacturers

This work aims to discuss particular work organization practices in human resources reported as successful by companies adopting lean production principles, and investigate them through real examples observed on manufacturing plants in Spain and Brazil. A set of work organization practices was previously established by one of the authors, through interviews with practitioners of lean production and review of the literature. A series of visits and informal interviews at Spanish and Brazilian automotive parts manufacturers that follow lean production were conducted to verify that the set of policies are indeed practiced.

Vertical relations and local competition : an empirical approach

The analysis of vertical industry relations forms an essential element in the field of industrial organization. This paper tests hypotheses derived from transaction cost theory and the principal-agent problem in Chile’s petrol market. It shows that local competition plays an important role in the choice of a disintegrated vertical structure, and that low levels of service investment have the same effect. Conversely, the number of own-brand outlets and a high level of investment in services reduce the probability of disintegration. The paper demonstrates that vertical disintegration has a null effect on wholesale petrol prices and a positive effect on retail petrol prices of between 1.6 and 7 per cent, depending on fuel type.

Mentoring in the acquisition of professional skills through practices in companies by degree students

Abstract This work has had as objective to analyze the skills acquired through internships in business companies by students of the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University Pompeu Fabra. The internship is a basic item in order to obtain a hard connection between the University and social-economic world where University and Enterprises develop their activity. In this study we want to know about two aspects. The first one, we want to know the profit that is obtained from the Student as a consequence of internship and mentoring. Also, we want to study about the importance of mentoring as a principal element that establishes the relationship between the Student and the Company. Moreover, it has sought to analyze if certain factors such as the size of the company where the practices has been performed, the study rank level that was achieved or the fact of being a man or a woman, were among the determining factors at the time of acquiring the skills. The results presented here indicate that the size of the company that have been making the practices and the gender of the student are related to the acquisition of certain skills. There was not a statistically significant relationship related to the rank level have by the students in the practice. In the future we are going to study if the labor market Integration is easier if the Student has performed work placement. Keywords Skills; employability; internship; meatoring.

Assessing functional relations in single-case designs: Quantitative proposals in the context of the evidence-based movement

In the context of the evidence-based practices movement, the emphasis on computing effect sizes and combining them via meta-analysis does not preclude the demonstration of functional relations. For the latter aim, we propose to augment the visual analysis to add consistency to the decisions made on the existence of a functional relation without losing sight of the need for a methodological evaluation of what stimuli and reinforcement or punishment are used to control the behavior. Four options for quantification are reviewed, illustrated, and tested with simulated data. These quantifications include comparing the projected baseline with the actual treatment measurements, on the basis of either parametric or nonparametric statistics. The simulated data used to test the quantifications include nine data patterns in terms of the presence and type of effect and comprising ABAB and multiple baseline designs. Although none of the techniques is completely flawless in terms of detecting a functional relation only when it is present but not when it is absent, an option based on projecting split-middle trend and considering data variability as in exploratory data analysis proves to be the best performer for most data patterns. We suggest that the information on whether a functional relation has been demonstrated should be included in meta-analyses. It is also possible to use as a weight the inverse of the data variability measure used in the quantification for assessing the functional relation. We offer an easy to use code for open-source software for implementing some of the quantifications.