YOUNG-PEOPLE AND FLEXIBILITY OF THE LABOR-MARKET - THE WILLINGNESS OFUNEMPLOYED FINNISH YOUNG-PEOPLE TOWARDS FLEXIBLE EMPLOYMENT

The aim of the study was to find out in what ways young people are wil ling to be flexible about their work conditions in order to get a job. Attitudes towards flexibility were studied using cluster analysis and data from a survey of young unemployed Finns. The results revealed th ree significant components of labour market flexibility: contractual f lexibility, mobility and unofficial employment. Contractual flexibilit y meant that a young person agreed on his/her work conditions directly with the employer. Mobility characterized willingness to change resid ence or even country in order to get a job. Unofficial employment impl ied the possibility to be employed in the unofficial sector. The pay i n this case would be more than the unemployment benefit but less than minimum wages. Half of the respondents took a positive stand to all th ree components of flexibility. There was also, however, a minority wit h a negative attitude. These were usually older persons with long work experience. Greater flexibility would compel them to give up many acq uired benefits. The conclusion of the study was that those young peopl e who had no benefits to lose were most flexible. Those who had acquir ed good benefits had strong negative attitudes towards flexibility.