Temporary agency work, migration and the crisis in Greece: labour market segmentation intensified

What is it about?

Using empirical research evidence on the operation of temporary employment agencies in the Greek hospitality and health care industries, this article shows that the development of agency sector has gone hand in hand with the flow of exploitable migrant labour in Greece over the past 25 years, reflecting the segmentation of the Greek labour market along ethnic lines. It also suggests that the segmented landscape of the Greek labour market has become more complex during the economic crisis, with more and more Greeks drawn to agency-mediated precarious employment.

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Why is it important?

This article focuses on the under-researched temporary agency employment in Greece. It highlights the precarious or even illicit nature of agency employment in a context in which labour outsourcing and flexible employment are promoted by policy-makers.