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Navigating cross-border labour mobility and employment security in European shipbuilding: lessons from the COVID-19 crisis

Author

Listed:
  • Ines Wagner

    (ARENA, University of Oslo, Norway)

  • Karen Jaehrling

    (IAQ, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany)

  • Aurora Trif

    (Dublin City University Business School, Ireland)

  • Devi Sacchetto

    (Department FISPPA, University of Padua, Italy)

  • Jan Czarzasty

    (SGH Warsaw School of Economics, Poland)

Abstract

This article investigates how cross-border mobility in the European shipbuilding industry affected the employment security of workers on standard and non-standard contracts in sending and receiving countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. It draws on qualitative findings from Germany, Italy, Norway, Poland and Romania, where shipbuilding production is integrated into transnational networks, leading to high cross-border mobility. Despite restrictions and a reduction of shipbuilding activities, the east-west labour mobility continued during the pandemic contributing to employment security in the east and addressing labour shortages in the west. The findings show that the type of employment contract, national employment protections and workers’ mobility status (e.g. posted or self-initiated) influence workers’ vulnerability. Specifically, the mobile workers with the most secure employment were also better protected by government measures than those in less secure employment during the pandemic, resulting in hierarchised groups of cross-border labour. Workers engaging in circular migration across Europe were the least protected.

Suggested Citation

  • Ines Wagner & Karen Jaehrling & Aurora Trif & Devi Sacchetto & Jan Czarzasty, 2025. "Navigating cross-border labour mobility and employment security in European shipbuilding: lessons from the COVID-19 crisis," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 31(1), pages 41-54, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:treure:v:31:y:2025:i:1:p:41-54
    DOI: 10.1177/10242589251322885
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Nathan Lillie & Markku Sippola, 2025. "Introduction to special issue: Access of mobile workers to social rights in the pan-European labour market," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 31(1), pages 15-24, February.

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