ABSTRACT
By the application of age criteria, Spain has experienced the advent of the construction of a new category of worker. The change in labour market pathways has led to the dismantling of the traditional organisation of the life cycle with regard to work. The difference in the activity rate by age group can be explained in terms of the alternatives on offer for each of these groups. The rise in inactivity among older workers is explained by the increase in intermediate situations. The replacement of older workers with younger is justified by offering alternative employment to younger workers who are entering the job market for the first time. The new phase of transition stems from the introduction of flexible strategies, which implies a break in the stable relationship between the worker and his job, a general rotation system in the work environment.
