Digitalization and employment relations in the retail sector. Examining the role of trade unions in Italy and Spain

Marcolin, Arianna; Gasparri, Stefano

Abstract

This article investigates trade union responses to in-store digitalization in retail in Italy and Spain. It considers critical issues often associated with the digital transformation of work including excessive work flexibility, high levels of monitoring and skills mismatch. It goes on to discuss two alternative employment relations developments: a ‘low road’, along which digitalization enhances market regulation and employers’ ability to control the workforce unilaterally; or a ‘high road’, where digitalization allows for better working conditions as well as business productivity. Drawing on documentary analysis, semi-structured interviews with trade union leaders, and content analysis of collective agreements signed at the sector, territorial and company level, findings report how Italian and Spanish trade unions attempt to use in-store digitalization to increase their leverage and aim for the high road. Overall, this work confirms the challenges of deterring the retail sector from pursuing the low road while highlighting some institutional factors and trade union strategies that can make the difference.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 27, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Nov 15, 2023
• Publication Date: Jun 30, 2024
• Deposit Date: Nov 29, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 29, 2023
• Journal: European Journal of Industrial Relations
• Print ISSN: 0959-6801
• Electronic ISSN: 1461-7129
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 30
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 151-178
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/09596801231213809
• Keywords: Digitalization, employment relations, retail, trade unions, Italy, Spain, Management of Technology and Innovation, Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management, Strategy and Management, General Business, Management and Accounting,
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/11462615
• Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.1177/09596801231213809