Industrial Relations in Europe 2012 - European Commission - Europa

Skills
developments
Career and
employment
security
Health &
well-being
Reconciliati
on of
working
and
nonworking
life
Chart 5.2: Main differences in different aspects of job quality (i.e. better, same or worse)
between employees working with green business practices and other employees, N=50 per
category
Social infrastructure helping to reconcile working and non-…
24
54
8
14
22
64
4
10
Work organisation (e.g. work intensity, multitasking)
34
46
14
6
Risk exposure (e.g. physical and psychological environment)
60
28
8
4
Health problems (e.g. psychosocial, physical)
54
38
4 4
Workers' rights (equal opportunities, information and consultation)
24
60
10
6
Income (wage level, differences between men and women)
46
38
10
6
Employment status (e.g.: permanent, fixed-term, part-time)
34
44
14
8
Employability
56
28
4
12
Patterns of organisation of learning activities
62
26
0
12
Demand for training activities
80
16
04
Requirements for employees' qualifications
78
18
22
Better Same Worse Don't know/Not applicable
0% 10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%
Source: Eurofound 2012a, 2012b
5.5.2 Expected effects on job quality within selected sectors
While the above results are cross-sector, the study also examined greening processes more closely
within 10 sectors. This section summarises some findings for three industries in which the impact of
greening is expected to be relatively high. For an overview, see table 5.2.
Construction industry
The construction industry is among the most affected sectors in terms of absolute employment by
the EU’s climate policies. In particular, greening may have an impact on career and employment
security. First, a large proportion of workers in the sector in some countries are self-employed, and
are thus less financially able to take up the training activities necessary to better adapt to the
greening of the construction sector.
In terms of composition of the workforce, the more skilled occupations remain male-dominated in
all countries, with women comprising only 8% of all employees 75 . Women are better represented in
administration and service employment, but their opportunities in green construction remain
somewhat unused 76 . It should also be noted that some of the jobs that will be created to meet the
2020 targets, such as those involved in the construction of renewable electricity plants, may not be
75 Eurofound 2009b, ‘Restructuring in the construction sector’, Ward, T. and Coughtrie, D. Eurofound, Dublin.
76 Sustainlabour 2009 ‘Green jobs and women workers: Employment, equity, equality’, International Labour Foundation
for Sustainable Development, Stevens et al., Madrid.
215