IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/eurjou/v29y2023i2p159-176.html

Labour market regulation and the demand for migrant labour: A comparison of the adult social care sector in England and the Netherlands

Author

Listed:
  • Stefania Marino
  • Arjan Keizer

Abstract

This article contributes to the theoretical understanding of institutions as fundamental in shaping the demand for migrant labour by investigating labour market regulation as possible explanation for cross-country differences in labour market segmentation and the presence of migrant workers. It compares the adult social care sector in England and the Netherlands with important cross-country differences in the reliance on migrant labour amid similar cost saving policies and marketization drives. The analysis draws on data collected between 2009 and 2019 and consisting of sectoral survey data, policy documents, interviews with relevant actors, and the observations of trade union and care workers’ meetings. The findings highlight the importance of path-dependent features of the national industrial relations systems in explaining observed differences but also how the specific nature of the regulatory outcomes depends on unions’ strategies and power.

Suggested Citation

  • Stefania Marino & Arjan Keizer, 2023. "Labour market regulation and the demand for migrant labour: A comparison of the adult social care sector in England and the Netherlands," European Journal of Industrial Relations, , vol. 29(2), pages 159-176, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:eurjou:v:29:y:2023:i:2:p:159-176
    DOI: 10.1177/09596801221127810
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/09596801221127810
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/09596801221127810?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Assar Lindbeck & Dennis J. Snower, 2001. "Insiders versus Outsiders," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 15(1), pages 165-188, Winter.
    2. Damian Raess & Brian Burgoon, 2015. "Flexible Work and Immigration in Europe," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 53(1), pages 94-111, March.
    3. Miguel Martínez Lucio & Stefania Marino & Heather Connolly, 2017. "Organising as a strategy to reach precarious and marginalised workers. A review of debates on the role of the political dimension and the dilemmas of representation and solidarity," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 23(1), pages 31-46, February.
    4. Annamaria Simonazzi, 2009. "Care regimes and national employment models," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 33(2), pages 211-232, March.
    5. Virginia Doellgast & Ursula Holtgrewe & Stephen Deery, 2009. "The Effects of National Institutions and Collective Bargaining Arrangements on Job Quality in Front-Line Service Workplaces," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 62(4), pages 489-509, July.
    6. Gail Hebson & Jill Rubery & Damian Grimshaw, 2015. "Rethinking job satisfaction in care work: looking beyond the care debates," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 29(2), pages 314-330, April.
    7. Chiara Benassi & Lisa Dorigatti, 2015. "Straight to the Core — Explaining Union Responses to the Casualization of Work: The IG Metall Campaign for Agency Workers," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 53(3), pages 533-555, September.
    8. Alders, Peter & Schut, Frederik T., 2019. "The 2015 long-term care reform in the Netherlands: Getting the financial incentives right?," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(3), pages 312-316.
    9. Mathew Johnson & Jill Rubery & Matthew Egan, 2021. "Raising the bar? The impact of the UNISON ethical care campaign in UK domiciliary care," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 27(3), pages 367-382, August.
    10. Chris F. Wright, 2012. "Immigration policy and market institutions in liberal market economies," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(2), pages 110-136, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jaan Masso & Maja Breznik & Liis Roosaar & Tibor T. Meszmann, 2025. "Under Pressure From Migrant Labour: Challenges Of Deregulation, Reregulation And Industrial Relations In Estonia, Slovakia And Slovenia," University of Tartu - Faculty of Economics and Business Administration Working Paper Series 151, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, University of Tartu (Estonia).
    2. Lisa Berntsen & Sonila Danaj & Paul de Beer & Nikko Bilitza, 2025. "Sourcing in or sourcing out? Diverging migrant labour regimes and use of temporary labour in the Dutch and Austrian food industries," Discussion Papers 76, Central European Labour Studies Institute (CELSI).
    3. Julie Froud & Stefania Marino & Miguel Martinez Lucio & Leonhard Plank & Angelo Salento, 2025. "Trade unions and the foundational economy: understanding shifting boundaries, politics and functions of economic participation and social action within industrial relations," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 31(4), pages 411-427, November.
    4. Nathan Lillie & Lisa Berntsen & Olena Fedyuk & Tibor T Meszmann, 2025. "Migrant labour regimes and the Regulation of Temporary Labour Migration in Europe: an Introduction," Discussion Papers 78, Central European Labour Studies Institute (CELSI).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Francois-Xavier Devetter & Karen Jaehrling & Stephen Mustchin & Julie Valentin, 2025. "‘Buying’ or ‘making’ decent work? Varieties of insourcing public services," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 31(2), pages 233-250, May.
    2. Jill Rubery & Damian Grimshaw & Philippe Méhaut & Claudia Weinkopf, 2024. "Dualisation and part-time work in France, Germany and the UK: Accounting for within and between country differences in precarious work," European Journal of Industrial Relations, , vol. 30(4), pages 363-381, December.
    3. Alexandre Léné, 2019. "Job Satisfaction and Bad Jobs: Why Are Cleaners So Happy at Work?," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 33(4), pages 666-681, August.
    4. Peter Warr & Ilke Inceoglu, 2018. "Work Orientations, Well-Being and Job Content of Self-Employed and Employed Professionals," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 32(2), pages 292-311, April.
    5. Chris F. Wright, 2017. "Employer Organizations and Labour Immigration Policy in Australia and the United Kingdom: The Power of Political Salience and Social Institutional Legacies," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 55(2), pages 347-371, June.
    6. Kwiatkowski, Eugeniusz & Włodarczyk, Przemysław, . "Wpływ prawnej ochrony zatrudnienia na rynek pracy w warunkach negatywnego szoku ekonomicznego," Gospodarka Narodowa-The Polish Journal of Economics, Szkoła Główna Handlowa w Warszawie / SGH Warsaw School of Economics, vol. 2012(11-12).
    7. Kevin Pineda‐Hernández & François Rycx & Mélanie Volral, 2022. "How collective bargaining shapes poverty: New evidence for developed countries," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 60(4), pages 895-928, December.
    8. Hipp, Lena, 2020. "Feeling secure vs. being secure? Qualitative evidence on the relationship between labour market institutions and employees’ perceived job security from Germany and the U.S," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 15(4), pages 416-429.
    9. Kurmaş Akdoğan, 2017. "Unemployment hysteresis and structural change in Europe," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 53(4), pages 1415-1440, December.
    10. Rossella Bozzon & Annalisa Murgia, 2022. "Independent or Dependent? European Labour Statistics and Their (In)ability to Identify Forms of Dependency in Self-employment," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 160(1), pages 199-226, February.
    11. Brigitte Granville & Jaume Martorell Cruz, 2016. "Squared Segmentation: How the Insider/Outsider divide across Public/Private Employment shapes attitudes towards markets," Working Papers 78, Queen Mary, University of London, School of Business and Management, Centre for Globalisation Research.
    12. Ronconi, Lucas & Kanbur, Ravi & López-Cariboni, Santiago, 2019. "Who Demands Labour (De)Regulation in the Developing World? Insider–Outsider Theory Revisited," IZA Discussion Papers 12831, IZA Network @ LISER.
    13. Virginie Xhauflair & Benjamin Huybrechts & François Pichault, 2018. "How Can New Players Establish Themselves in Highly Institutionalized Labour Markets? A Belgian Case Study in the Area of Project†Based Work," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 56(2), pages 370-394, June.
    14. Emily Yarrow & Shiv Varma & Matthew J. Brannan, 2026. "Between Mandate and Morality: Navigating Care Home Recruitment and Mandatory Vaccination during COVID-19," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 40(2), pages 348-359, April.
    15. Marjan Petreski & Nikica Mojsoska-Blazevski, 2013. "Real Wages in the Manufacturing Industry in Macedonia: The Role of Macroeconomic Factors, with Reference to Recession Times," Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(4), pages 113-126, January.
    16. Constantine Manolchev & Richard Saundry & Duncan Lewis, 2021. "Breaking up the ‘precariat’: Personalisation, differentiation and deindividuation in precarious work groups," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 42(3), pages 828-851, August.
    17. Snower, Dennis, 2025. "Labor Markets as Human Ecosystems: The Insider-Outsider Theory Reconsidered," INET Oxford Working Papers 2025-21, Institute for New Economic Thinking at the Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford.
    18. P R Agénor, 2005. "The Analytics of Segmented Labor Markets," Centre for Growth and Business Cycle Research Discussion Paper Series 52, Economics, The University of Manchester.
    19. Ji-Whan Yun, 2016. "The Setback in Political Entrepreneurship and Employment Dualization in Japan, 1998–2012," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 54(3), pages 473-495, September.
    20. Stefan Thewissen & Olaf Vliet & Chen Wang, 2018. "Taking the Sector Seriously: Data, Developments, and Drivers of Intrasectoral Earnings Inequality," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 138(3), pages 1023-1048, August.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:eurjou:v:29:y:2023:i:2:p:159-176. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.