Working paper No. 217. Protection of insiders and exclusion of outsiders

Abstract

The Insider-Outsider theory is an attempt, through the Labour Turnover Costs (LTC), to explain the clash of interests between different employees – insiders and outsiders. My claim is that the most important factor that has shaped the insider and outsider status among construction employees at the Swedish labour market is union action and strategies in different phases of the political process. The strategies included attempts to impose, interpret or modify regulations on the labour market in such way that occupation, eductional requirements, employment status, union membership, and even citizenship, shaped the insiderness of different categories of employees and workers. Those excluded came to be outsiders.

Lindberg, H. (2013). ”Protection of insiders and exclusion of outsiders – Union action and strategies in the Swedish construction labour market”. Ratio Working paper No. 217.