Tackling precarious work in the public sector

What is it about?

This paper considers the role of better contracting practices in increasing pay and conditions for sub-contracted workers in Denmark, Germany and the UK. We find that investing more in public sector contracts can help tackle low pay, but strong trade unions are important to share the wage increases more widely.

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Why is it important?

Given the trend towards public sector outsourcing in many European countries, it is important to understand the conditions under which pay and conditions can be improved for outsourced workers. This research shows that public procurement is an increasingly important instrument for tackling low pay and precarious work.