In Search of a Balance: Flexibility and Security Strategies in Employment Protection Legislation, Temporary Work and Part-Time Work

Abstract

This paper presents and discusses various modalities of labour market flexibility and security. The focus is on employment protection legislation, part-time work and temporary agency work, drawing evidence and examples from the Netherlands, Denmark, Spain and the United States. The main thrust of the paper is that numerical flexibility and security are not incompatible but, rather, that flexibilisation requires security and vice versa. Another important conclusion is that a well-developed social dialogue, consultation and mutual trust between the social partners are important preconditions in striking a good balance between flexibility and security. The paper also contains some suggestions for possible directions for Turkish labour market reform and regulation.