Gendered aspects of flexible work and precariousness in Turkey: A case of nurses in health sector


Tezin Türü: Doktora

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2017

Öğrenci: CANET TUBA SARITAŞ

Danışman: FATMA YILDIZ ECEVİT

Özet:

This study analyses flexibilization of labour process and its implications on labour through the dimensions of precariousness. This analysis is based on restructuring of health labour process in Turkey and its gendered implications on working and living conditions of woman workers in a case of nursing occupation. Restructuring of health sector has characterized by more flexible organization of health labour process reinforced by a socio-political tendency eliminating state’s intervention to employment relations and social welfare in order to cut public expenditures. This signifies state’s restricted role to determine minimum standards and principles but increased decision-making power or initiative of health institutions over the organization of health labour process according to the demand in the market, termed as de-centralization. Attaching organization of health labour process to the demand in the market makes minimizing both wage and non-wage cost of health labourer as the most prominent sensitivity in the current organization of the health labour process. Thus, more flexible organization of health labour process has been experienced as administrations’ more freedom in determining working time, job specification, numbers of workers, personnel structure, wage levels, employment relations, career and promotion opportunities in health institutions according to market conditions at the expense of more insecurity and uncertainty in nurses’ not only in working and but also living conditions, conceptualized as precariousness.