Alternative and contingent work in Italy and Spain: a statistical approach

This chapter investigates alternative and contingent work in Europe in the last decade, with some in-depth analysis of Italy and Spain. Alternative workers include temporary salaried employment and professional self-employment or independent professionals (IPs), while contingent workers have short-term and/or discontinuous jobs. The growth of IPs, in contrast to the decline of traditional self-employment, is one of the most important aspects to emerge from the analysis. The other element is the growth of all types of high-skilled workers. Italy and Spain show common features that differentiate them from the general trends in Europe. First, both countries show a statistical level of alternative employment which is above the European average. Second, while in Europe contingent work decreased, in Italy and Spain it increased, showing a trend towards the greater fragmentation and weakness of the labour market. Third, in Italy and Spain, unlike in Europe, qualification is not a key factor in explaining the level of income.