This thesis firstly explores the process and effects of social dialogue in the context of informal home-based workers in Gujarat, India, and secondly the applicability of Dryzek’s theory of discourse democracy on this case study. In doing this, the study investigates the potential of social dialogue and discourse democracy to work as instruments for improving the social and economic situation of the workers. The case study consists of how the organisation and trade union Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) communicate with influential actors in order to improve the social and economic situation of the informal home-based workers. The material is gathered through interviews with four organisers at SEWA, and observations made when visiting three areas of home-based workers. The empirical results are presented in a chapter demonstrating the process of social dialogue and its effect on the workers situation in this particular context. The second part of the results is a discussion where the theoretical framework, consisting of Dryzek’s discourse democracy and the critique of Habermas’s deliberative democracy that structure his theory, and the empirical findings are scrutinised in relation to each other; by discussing traits of the theories in connection to the case study. The thesis concludes that there are similarities between social dialogue in this case and the theory of discourse democracy, but the theory cannot wholly be used to conceptualise social dialogue. It demonstrated the importance of the communicative decision-making to admit a wide variety of kinds of communication and to involve an active civil society with support in the constitutional framework for improving the social and economic situation of the workers. However, it also indicates that other practices than communicative ones are necessary in this struggle.

Garment sector trade unions have proved largely powerless to combat hypermobile transnational capital’s systematic extraction of surplus value from the newly industrialized Global South. Optimized conditions for accumulation coupled with the 2005 phase-out of the Multi-Fibre Agreement (MFA) have meant a radical geographic reconfiguration of the globalised garment industry heavily in favour of capital over labour. The thesis approaches the global garment sector from multiple vantage points across the world with the goal of uncovering the obstacles to workers' organisation, examine workers' strategies of resistance, and analyse the changing composition of labour and capital within the clothing commodity chain. The thesis highlights five distinct but interconnected case studies including a transnational workers campaign from a garment factory in Honduras; a history and present-day feasibility of establishing a transnational collective bargaining from El Salvador to Turkey to Cambodia; the prospects for a countermovement in the organizing strategies at the bottom of the clothing commodity and supply chain in Bangalore; the growth of a 'full package' denim manufacturer in changing the relationship between 'buyers' and 'suppliers' on the outskirts of Bangalore; and finally a continuation of this analysis the case of a strike at a monopoly footwear supplier in China. The central research question is: How do workers build power and establish workers' rights in the globally hypermobile garment sector? Ultimately, what is demonstrated within this thesis is that the actions of garment workers shaped and circumscribed the actions of capital in the sector, and as capital transformed new landscapes for accumulation new vistas for opposition begin to emerge.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-21T14:43:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 VaniaMassambani.pdf: 4109349 bytes, checksum: 022971d5943db211ea783166310d91d7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-07-11 / This research addresses the social security protection for workers from countries signatory to the MERCOSUL Multilateral Agreement on Social Security, which was signed on 15th December 1997 and entered into force on 1st June 2005. In Brazil, the agreement was approved by Legislative Decree No. 451 of 14th November 2001 and promulgated by Decree No. 5.722 of 13th March 2006. The Multilateral Agreement on Social Security (AMSS) coordinates the various national laws that deal with Social Security, without creating a common law or rule for the member states, apart from creating a procedure for recognition of pension contributions on time worked in any of the member states. This research discusses the guarantee of the right to social security benefits to workers who move with their families within the MERCOSUL countries, and it also aims to examine the advances in the field of social security in the context of regional integration from the point of view of social security protection; to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of social security protection under the Multilateral Agreement on Social Security and to present the standards for access to benefits through the agreement. The research is qualitative and the data was collected in databases and through bibliographical research. The research is organized into three chapters which discuss: regional integration and the establishment of MERCOSUL; the international agreements regarding international Social Security; the international organizations relating to Social Security, as well as the operational standards of MERCOSUL’s Multilateral Agreement on Social Security. / A pesquisa aborda a proteção previdenciária dos trabalhadores dos países signatários do Acordo Multilateral de Seguridade Social do MERCOSUL, este que foi assinado em 15 de dezembro de 1997 e entrou em vigor em 1º de junho de 2005. No Brasil, o referido Acordo, foi aprovado pelo Decreto Legislativo n.º 451, de 14 de novembro de 2001 e promulgado pelo Decreto n.º 5.722, de 13 de março de 2006. O acordo Multilateral de Seguridade Social (AMSS) coordena as distintas legislações nacionais que tratam sobre Seguridade Social, sem criar um direito ou regra comum aos Estados Partes, apenas cria um procedimento para reconhecimento do tempo de contribuição previdenciária no trabalho realizado em qualquer dos Estados Partes. A pesquisa objetivou discutir a garantia do direito a benefícios previdenciários aos trabalhadores que circulam com suas famílias nos países integrantes do MERCOSUL, tem como objetivo, também, analisar os avanços na área da seguridade social no contexto da integração regional sob o ponto de vista da proteção previdenciária; discutir os avanços e limites da proteção previdenciária prevista no Acordo Multilateral de Seguridade Social e apresentar as normas vigentes para o acesso aos benefícios através do Acordo. A pesquisa é qualitativa e os dados foram coletados em bases documentais e através de pesquisa bibliográfica, organizada em 3 capítulos discorrendo sobre a integração regional e a construção do MERCOSUL, os acordos internacionais de Seguridade Social os organismos internacionais de Seguridade Social assim como as normas operacionais do Acordo Multilateral de Seguridade Social do MERCOSUL.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-29T14:16:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Ociana Donato da Silva.pdf: 1274567 bytes, checksum: 42e0aaaac161248df51caada07abf7e6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-09-26 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This dissertation aimed to analyze the practice of bullying as a new strategy for managing relations professional working in the current context of the restructuring process, with a focus on the workers social. To elucidate this object qualitative research from the questionnaires to participants related to social workers and social work events with students of Post-Graduate Studies Program in Social Work from the Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo was used. The survey results indicated that constraints and disrespect to the professional and his work are frequent and therefore understood by respondents as bullying. However, in order to elucidate which means bullying sought to make a distinction between such events and practices of harassment. It is concluded that bullying is a historical context of profound changes in the world of work that uses the managerialist ideology to manage human resources in work organizations. Bullying is consolidated to subject workers or even discard them when not in line with the management policy. To do, they are subjected to the vexatious and humiliating situations that repeat and extend during the workday, causing moral damages and suffering and emotional and physical that put them in the face of an administrative proceeding, the transfer of the workplace and dismissal. Fighting this practice is a form of resistance to the intensification of oppression and suffering experienced by social workers in contemporary work / Esta dissertação teve como objetivo analisar a prática do assédio moral como uma nova estratégia de gestão das relações de trabalho profissional, no atual contexto da reestruturação produtiva, com enfoque nos/as trabalhadores/as assistentes sociais. Para elucidar este objeto, foi utilizada a pesquisa qualitativa, a partir da aplicação de questionários a assistentes sociais participantes de eventos afins ao Serviço Social e também a estudantes do Programa de Estudos Pós-Graduados em Serviço Social da Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo. Os resultados da pesquisa indicaram que constrangimentos e desrespeito ao profissional e ao seu trabalho são frequentes e, portanto, entendidos pelos/as pesquisados/as como assédio moral. No entanto, a fim de elucidar o que significa assédio moral, procurou-se estabelecer uma distinção entre tais ocorrências e as práticas de assédio. Conclui-se que o assédio moral está inserido num contexto histórico de profundas alterações no mundo do trabalho, mundo esse que utiliza a ideologia gerencialista para administrar os recursos humanos nas organizações de trabalho. O assédio moral se consolida para submeter trabalhadores/as, ou mesmo para descartá-los/as, quando não coadunam com a política de gestão. Para tanto, eles/as são submetidos a situações vexatórias e humilhantes que se repetem e se prolongam durante a jornada de trabalho, provocando danos morais e doenças físicas e emocionais que os colocarão diante da instauração de processo administrativo, da transferência de local de trabalho e da demissão. Lutar contra essa prática é uma forma de resistência ao acirramento da opressão e do sofrimento experimentado pelos/as assistentes sociais no trabalho contemporâneo

This research project is concerned with workers’ narratives, specifically those who have been employed in paid work below the national minimum wage in New Zealand. As a graphic designer who has direct experience of exploitation through employment, I am interested in researching the subjective experience of underpaid workers in New Zealand. In doing this I have sought to creatively synthesize experiences into artworks that provide a deeper insight into the impact of underpaid work. Through this investigation I have attempted to contribute to a broader discussion of underpaid work than what is currently provided, through the analysis of statistical data. In undertaking this project I have also been concerned with investigating new potentials in serigraphy (a graphic medium traditionally associated with working-class politics). I have inquired into how it might be used to create a visual ‘voice’ for contemporary workers’ narratives. Accordingly, this project has employed audio recordings of three personal stories. The research has led to the production of a series of serigraphic prints that artistically interpret the journeys and experiences of the participants. These images sit in discourse with looped audio excerpts of their recorded interviews. In this approach, narratives of marginalisation that have often been muted through their presentation as written records, have been re-conceptualised as an artists' images, with which the recordings are in discussion.

This research project is concerned with workers’ narratives, specifically those who have been employed in paid work below the national minimum wage in New Zealand. As a graphic designer who has direct experience of exploitation through employment, I am interested in researching the subjective experience of underpaid workers in New Zealand. In doing this I have sought to creatively synthesize experiences into artworks that provide a deeper insight into the impact of underpaid work. Through this investigation I have attempted to contribute to a broader discussion of underpaid work than what is currently provided, through the analysis of statistical data. In undertaking this project I have also been concerned with investigating new potentials in serigraphy (a graphic medium traditionally associated with working-class politics). I have inquired into how it might be used to create a visual ‘voice’ for contemporary workers’ narratives. Accordingly, this project has employed audio recordings of three personal stories. The research has led to the production of a series of serigraphic prints that artistically interpret the journeys and experiences of the participants. These images sit in discourse with looped audio excerpts of their recorded interviews. In this approach, narratives of marginalisation that have often been muted through their presentation as written records, have been re-conceptualised as an artists' images, with which the recordings are in discussion.

The apparel industry is one of the first industries being criticized and publicly shamed for not taking enough social responsibility for the workers in their supply chain. Today, most of the apparel production takes place in developing countries such as Bangladesh, China, Cambodia and Vietnam. Social issues in the apparel supply chain are often related to health and safety, minimum wages, overtime, child labor and the lack of freedom of association. Controlling these social issues is difficult since the apparel companies and their suppliers are geographically and culturally separated. Furthermore, the production of apparel takes place in countries with weaker legal frameworks not being strict enough to protect the workers' rights. Hence, the apparel companies face major challenges in controlling the fulfillment of international standards from the International Labor Organization and United Nations. There is a lack of research on the topic related to social sustainability practices in the supply chain and researchers state that it requires more attention, by focusing on how companies' code of conducts (CoC) and international standards can be used more effectively in the context of sourcing and social responsibility. To address the research gap, the purpose of the study is to understand how brand-owning apparel companies in Scandinavia control social sustainability in their supplier networks. Based on those findings, we will compare the relation between the empirical data and what theories and international standards illustrate as critical aspects for controlling social sustainability. In the study, we have conducted semi-structured interviews with seven Scandinavian apparel companies. Since social sustainability can be a sensitive topic for companies to share information on, we have also conducted an interview with Nina Wertholz, working at the non-profit organization Fair Action, providing a different perspective. By using a thematic analysis, two main themes have been identified that together answer the research question, namely control measures and factors affecting control. Firstly, control measures relate to what the companies' control consists of and our findings demonstrate risk assessments, code of conduct, audits, and measurement as the main tools. Still, we conclude that these control measures are not sufficient to control social sustainability in the supplier network. Secondly, factors affecting control can explain the outcome of controlling social sustainability. Findings advocate that a good collaboration, providing support and a shared interest can facilitate a higher degree of control. Additionally, our findings shows that companies with smaller order quantities have less influence and control over their supplier's social sustainability practices. We also infer that the number of suppliers and which countries the companies choose to source from will affect the obtained level of control. Furthermore, decisions regarding the supplier base and the sourcing country are active choices made by the companies. Lastly, we conclude that the companies' purchasing behavior can affect the level of control related to wages, incomes, and overtime for the workers in the apparel supply chain.

Dans un monde en plein transformation vers le numérique, le recours aux systèmes d’intelligence artificielle aux fins de faciliter les tâches n’est plus une nouvelle. Le monde du travail et notamment le recrutement sont presque totalement envahies par ces systèmes. La prise de la décision de recruter une personne ou bien de la refuser est maintenant dédiée à des algorithmes. Cependant, cela contribue souvent à des cas de discrimination ou de marginalisation d’un groupe de personnes protégé. Une lutte contre ces discriminations est inévitable. À cette fin, des efforts importants ont été employés au niveau législatif et règlementaire dans l’Union Européenne et récemment au Québec. Le Règlement Général sur la Protection des Données adopté par le parlement européen d’une part et la Loi modernisant des dispositions législatives en matière de protection des renseignements personnels au Québec sont les pionnières à ce niveau. Cependant, la discrimination est toujours présente. Ce mémoire porte sur une comparaison de ces deux textes qui nous montre qu’aux fins d’assurer une meilleure protection à ce niveau, beaucoup d’autres mesures soit éthiques, soit réglementaires, doivent être prises en compte. / We live in a world in the midst of a digital transformation, the use of artificial intelligence systems to facilitate tasks is no longer news. The world of labor and more specifically the recruitment process has been fully invaded by these systems. The decision-making process in order to recruit a person or to refuse it is fully now dedicated to algorithms. However, this may contribute to some cases of discrimination or marginalization of some protected groups of people. A fight against these discriminations is inevitable. To this end, significant efforts have been made at the legislative and regulatory level in the European Union and recently in Quebec. The General Data Protection Regulation adopted by the European Parliament on the one hand and the Act modernizing the legislative provisions for the protection of personal information in Quebec are the pioneers at this level. However, discrimination is still present. This master thesis provides a comparison of these two legal systems and show us that in order to ensure better protection at this level, many other measures, either ethical or regulatory, must be taken into consideration.