The new public service transnationals: consequences for labour

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Work Organisation, Labour and Globalisation

Volume 2, Issue 2

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The new public service transnationals: consequences for labour

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Author(s): Judith Clifton , Daniel Díaz-Fuentes

Publication date (Print): Autumn 2008

Journal: Work Organisation, Labour and Globalisation

Publisher: Pluto Journals

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Abstract

Since the late twentieth century, a significant number of public service providers operating in networks, previously defined as nationally-bound entities largely owned and controlled by the state, have embarked on aggressive expansion strategies abroad. This transnationalisation was a consequence of 1970s organisational reform, particularly privatisation, sectoral liberalisation and the liberalisation of Foreign Direct Investment. This article examines the recent organisational transformations of public service providers, particularly those based in the European Union, that have been at the forefront of this development, with a particular focus on electricity, telecommunications and postal services. Public service provider transformation, including transnationalisation, has significant consequences for work inside these organisations.

Content

Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (doi): 10.13169

Journal ID (publisher-id): workorgalaboglob

Title: Work Organisation, Labour and Globalisation

Publisher: Pluto Journals

ISSN (Print): 1745641X

ISSN (Electronic): 17456428

Publication date (Print): Autumn 2008

Volume: 2

Issue: 2

Pages: 23-39

Article

Publisher ID: workorgalaboglob.2.2.0023

DOI: 10.13169/workorgalaboglob.2.2.0023

SO-VID: 2e6099f3-4e85-4c86-b75e-5638513e433c

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All content is freely available without charge to users or their institutions. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles in this journal without asking prior permission of the publisher or the author. Articles published in the journal are distributed under a http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

History

ScienceOpen disciplines: Sociology,Labor law,Political science,Labor & Demographic economics,Political economics

References

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Clifton, J., F. Comín & D. Díaz-Fuentes (2003) Privatisation in the European Union , Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers
Clifton, J., F. Comín & D. Díaz-Fuentes (2006) ‘Privatising Public Enterprises in the European Union 1960–2002: Ideological, Pragmatic, Inevitable?’ Journal of European Public Policy , Vol 13, No 5:736–756
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Comments

Comment on this article

[1] Aharoni, Y. (1986) The Evolution and Management of State Owned Enterprises , Cambridge: Ballinger Publishing Company

[2] Almond, P. & A. Ferner (eds) (2006) American Multinationals in Europe , Oxford: Oxford University Press

[3] Bel, G. (2006) ‘Retrospectives: the Coining of Privatization and Germany's National Socialist Party’, Journal of Economic Perspectives Vol 20, No 3:187–194

[4] Brandt, T. and T. Schulten (2007) ‘The Impact of Liberalisation and Privatisation on Labour Relations’, PIQUE Policy Paper 2: PIQUE: 95. Accessed on October 10, 2008 from http://www.pique.at/reports/pubs/PIQUE_PP2_19_06_2008.pdf.

[5] Clifton, J., F. Comín & D. Díaz-Fuentes (2003) Privatisation in the European Union , Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers

[6] Clifton, J., F. Comín & D. Díaz-Fuentes (2006) ‘Privatising Public Enterprises in the European Union 1960–2002: Ideological, Pragmatic, Inevitable?’ Journal of European Public Policy , Vol 13, No 5:736–756

[7] Clifton, J., F. Comín & D. Díaz-Fuentes (2007) Transforming Public Enterprises in Europe and North America: Networks, Transnationalisation and Integration , Palgrave

[8] Clifton, J., D. Díaz-Fuentes & A. Goldstein (forthcoming) ‘Is Europe ready for FDI from Emerging Markets?’ in K. Sauvant (ed) The Rise of Global Players from the South , Edward Elgar Publishers

[9] de Luca, L. (ed) (1997) ‘Labour and Social Dimensions of Privatization and Restructuring of Public Utilities: Water, Gas and Electricity’, ILO. Accessed on October 10, 2008 from http://www.ilo.org/public/english/employment/ent/papers/travint1b.htm.

[10] Dribbusch, H. (2007) ‘Agreement Ends Dispute over Employee Relocation at Deutsche Telekom EIRO’. Accessed on October 10, 2008 from http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/2007/07/articles/de0707019i.htm

[11] EDF (2008) Company websitem, www.edf.fr.

[12] EIRO (1998) Major Restructuring Plans at Telefónica. Accessed on October 10, 2008 from http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/1998/06/inbrief/es9806266n.htm.

[13] EIRO (2000) Government Intervenes in Sintel Dispute. Accessed on October 10, 2008 from http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/2000/10/feature/es0010118f.htm.

[14] EIRO (2005) Industrial Relations in the Public Utilities. Accessed on October 10, 2008 from http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/2005/02/study/tn0502101s.htm.

[15] EIRO (2007a) EU Countries: Industrial Relations in the Postal Sector. Accessed on October 10, 2008 from http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/sectors/2_2007.htm.

[16] EIRO (2007b) EU Countries Representativeness of the Social Partners: Telecommunications Sector. Accessed on October 10, 2008 from http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/studies/tn0606017s/index.htm.

[17] E.On (2008) Company website: www.eon.com.

[18] Flanagan, R. (2007) Globalisation and Labour Conditions , Oxford: Oxford University Press

[19] France Télécom (2007) Annual Report

[20] Galambos, L. (2000) ‘State-Owned Enterprises in a Hostile Environment’ in P. A. Toninelli (ed), The Rise and Fall of State-Owned Enterprise in the Western World , Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[21] Hall, D. (2007) ‘Electricity Companies in Latin America in 2007’, PSIRU. Accessed on October 10, 2008 from http://www.psiru.org/reports/2007–10-E-Latam.doc.

[22] Hausman, W., P. Hertner & M. Wilkins (2008) Global Electrification: Multinational Enterprise and International Finance in the History of Light and Power 1878–2007 , Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[23] Hermann, C. & K. Verhoest (2008) ‘Varieties and Variations of Public Service Liberalisation and Privatisation’, PIQUE Policy Paper 1. Accessed on October 10, 2008 from http://www.pique.at/reports/pubs/PIQUE_PP1_20_02_2008.pdf.

[24] Helm, D. (2007) The New Energy Paradigm , Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[25] ILO (1999) ‘Report for the Tripartite Meeting on Managing the Privatisation and Restructuring of Public Utilities’, Geneva. Accessed on October 10, 2008 from http://www.ilo.org/public/english/dialogue/sector/techmeet/tmpu99/index.htm.

[26] ILO (2003) ‘Challenges and opportunities facing public utilities’. Accessed on October 10, 2008 from http://www.ilo.org/public/english/dialogue/sector/techmeet/tmcopu03/tmcopu-r.pdf.

[27] Millward, R. (2005) Public and Private Enterprise in Europe: Energy, Telecommunications and Transport c. 1830–1990 , Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

[28] PSIRU (2006) ‘Trade Unions and the Reform of Public Utilities’, London: PSIRU. Accessed on October 10, 2008 from http://www.psiru.org/publicationsindex.asp.

[29] Regalia, I. (2007) ‘Industrial Relations in the Postal Sector’, Dublin: European Foundation for Living and Working Conditions. Accessed on October 10, 2008 from http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/studies/tn0704018s/tn0704018s.htm

[30] Suez (2008) Company website www.suez.com.

[31] Telefonica (2007) Annual Report

[32] Thatcher, M. (2007) Internationalisation and Economic Institutions: Comparing the European Experience , Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[33] Thomas, S. (2007) ‘Corporate Concentration in the EU Energy Sector’, PSIRU. Accessed on October 10, 2008 from http://www.psiru.org/reports/2007–03-E-Energyconcentration.doc.

[34] Traxler, F. (2007) ‘Representativeness of the Social Partners: Telecommunications Sector’, European Foundation for Living and Working Conditions. Accessed on October 10, 2008 from http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/studies/tn0606017s/tn0606017s_5.htm.

[35] RWE Group (2007) Personnel Report 2007. Accessed on October 10, 2008 from http://www.rwe.com/generator.aspx/konzern/verantwortung/mitarbeiter-und-gesellschaft-_28invisible_29/personalmanagement/property=Data/id=617086/download-en-personalbericht-2007.pdf.

[36] UNCTAD (1995, 2004, 2007, 2008) World Investment Report , Geneva