ABSTRACT

This chapter argues that the international economic crisis of this century seriously compromises the labour market variables of a great number of European countries: an increase of unemployment and inactivity (in particular youth unemployment) and a decrease of employment have been observed, especially in some Mediterranean countries like Italy, Greece and Spain, where labour market conditions were already poor before the crisis. A worsening of labour market variables can produce a decline of working conditions due to the increased pressure of unemployment. This can induce workers to accept bad conditions, for example in terms of legality of the job or of physical safety, in order to protect their working positions. In this sense, economic crisis can impact on ‘decent work’ characteristics and worsen variables that define it. Interpreting the concept of decent work harmoniously with Sen’s capability approach, work ‘can be a liberator’ unless some working defects prevent that. The aim of this chapter is to introduce an approach to the ILO decent work concept, defining the variables that characterize ‘decent work’ in a developed country like Italy. Elements identified in the basic–relations–fairness proposal are grouped into three profiles, which are prioritized into two levels. On the basis of this concept, an analysis is made about which policies concerning decent work variables should be implemented to foster it, into a wider scenario of actions to recover from the crisis.