Doctoral defence: Märt Masso „Employment relations in Estonia: employee control, participation and work accommodation in co-determining working conditions“

On 5 January at 12:00 Märt Masso will defend his doctoral thesis „Employment relations in Estonia: employee control, participation and work accommodation in co-determining working conditions“ for obtaining the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (in Sociology).

Supervisor: Professor Maaja Vadi, University of Tartu

Opponent: Professor Eglė Butkevičienė, Kaunas University of Technology (Lithuania)

Summary

In the complex world of Estonian industrial relations, power takes centre stage. Picture it as a subtle dance, with workers moving between autonomy and powerlessness, ultimately shaping their working conditions. This thesis delves into this choreography, decoding the discretion exercised by Estonian workers. It is based on a multi-level analysis of cross-sectional data on employers and employees and participatory action research into industrial relations.

Workers employ various means to exercise personal control, from autonomous decision-making regarding their working conditions to engaging in dialogues and negotiations to assert their rights. It is a dance of discretion, influenced by the organisations to which they belong as well as the broader industrial relations systems in which they operate.

On this stage, workplace democracy, a key principle, recognises the inherent value in allowing individuals to have a say in matters that affect them as human beings. Different levels of work control yield diverse opportunities and varying degrees of work-life quality. Employment is a collective endeavour wherein individual and collective interests coexist. It is not merely about wielding power over others but also about employing that power to effect societal change. Nonetheless, there is no precise metric for determining the ideal balance of discretion for employee welfare within an organisation.

Estonia distinguishes itself by affording workers greater decision-making latitude compared to other countries. Workers enjoy high levels of control over their schedules and methods, although there is room for improvement in terms of work accommodation. Estonia lacks robust collective mechanisms, yet individual discretion remains robust. The incorporation of collective forms could further empower workers and enhance adaptability in the workplace.

Control dynamics are shaped by both occupational and institutional principles. Professionals, for example, enjoy greater control over their work schedules and methods. This control, however, is influenced by the context of the industrial relations system, which can either amplify or diminish occupational discretion. Power dynamics are also moulded by organisational and societal structures. Empowering managerial practices vary across organisations, thus impacting employees’ opportunities to exert influence. Stringent top-down management practices limit individual agency, whereas participatory workplace practices depend on the power dynamics within the industrial relations system.