The Impact of Atypical Work in Italy and Russia

Abstract

The paper aims to analyse the impact of precarious employment in Italy and Russia. Although these two countries differ significantly in a number of respects such as size, economic structure, political and legal systems and culture, there are some similarities which make a comparison possible. Both belong to the continental legal system, both are characterised by formally rigid labour legislation, a large informal sector of the economy, profound regional differences, and a weakened role of trade unions. In recent decades both countries have undertaken a set of reforms in a neoliberal spirit leading to the proliferation of precarious employment. The paper aims to provide a comparison between Italy and Russia from the point of view of the impact of atypical employment on their legal and economic systems, with a particular focus on the different perceptions of atypical work, precariousness and employment security and different regulatory approaches as well as different legal and non-legal mechanisms to adapt to changes perceived as negative shocks. Another question the paper addresses is whether and to what extent flexible work can serve as a stepping stone to permanent high quality employment in these countries. However, considering the ongoing character of the reforms, the impact of many of the legal measures discussed in the paper is still unclear.