The European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) The European Trade Union Institute is the independent research and training centre of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) which itself affiliates European trade unions into a single European umbrella organisation. The ETUI places its expertise – acquired in particular in the context of its links with universities, academic and expert networks – in the service of workers’ interests at European level and of the strengthening of the social dimension of the European Union. has published a new book called ‘Flexible workforces and low profit margins: electronics assembly between Europe and China’. This book investigates restructuring in the electronics industry and in particular the impact of a ‘Chinese’ labour regime on work and employment practices in the electronics assembly in Europe.
It studies Foxconn, the world largest electronics manufacturing service provider and the main assembler of Apple’s iPhone and iPad.
The authors examine in detail whether work and employment practices established in mainland China have been exported to factories in Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary and Turkey, and how these practices have been adapted to the social actors and institutional context of the European host country.
The book thus provides a basis for identifying challenges involved in organising workers and opportunities for improving working conditions in the electronics industry through labour representation.
- Buy a printed version of the book here.
- Download here the digital version of the ETUI report ‘Flexible workforces Europe China’
