Policy Measures for Low-Wage Employment in Europe

Increasingly, the governments of virtually all industrialised countries are confronted with persistent problems of unemployment and low pay for those with little formal education and few skills. To combat this growing problem, various countries are utilising different remedies – usually with disappointing results.

Policy Measures for Low-Wage Employment in Europe is a focused and up-to-date set of studies highlighting several important new findings. The book considers in-depth policy measures in the areas of taxation, benefits and employer subsidies aimed at the low-skilled and illustrates the limitations of short-term solutions. The policy debate is extended to encompass the role of product demand related to low-paid, low-skilled work and to the functioning of the labour market. In particular, the study investigates the role of job satisfaction and turn over in two major low-paying sectors – the retail trade and the hotel industry.

This book will prove a valuable contribution to the literature for labour economists and policymakers at European and national level and policy officers of trade union and employment organisations. Those interested in labour market problems will also find the work to be a fascinating read.