ror.org/04n0g0b29
Abstracts
Abstract
The action of health and safety representatives (HSRs) has proven beneficial for workers’ occupational health, but a number of determining factors can diminish HSRs’ effectiveness. One understudied factor shaping HSRs’ effectiveness is the interaction that exists between workers and HSRs, that is, the relationship that workers and their representatives establish with each other throughout a wide range of processes.
In this paper, we explore the workers’ knowledge and opinions of their interaction with HSRs and its determinants. We undertook a qualitative exploratory and descriptive-interpretative study by means of 22 semi-structured interviews with a theoretical sample of workers from Barcelona and Girona (Spain).
Results show a vast unawareness of HSRs’ existence and functions among workers; only the few workers who know the HSRs personally describe interaction processes with them, mainly concerning hazard identification. Some of the workers mentioned processes of interaction with unions regarding health and safety at work. These processes consist mainly in raising issues with union representatives and, in a more limited way, in associating with occupational health mobilizations and participating in decision-making processes. Determining factors of the interaction between workers and -health and safety or union- representatives emerge strongly in relation to representatives and workers and, in a more diluted way, with regard to the context or the firm.
The study contributes to the research concerning the building of relations of representativeness as a way to better understand (and represent) workers’ needs and provides strategic insight for collective representation bodies to regain their legitimacy.
Keywords:
- occupational health,
- worker participation,
- interaction,
- Spain
Résumé
L’action des représentants en santé et sécurité du travail (RPSST) s’est avérée bénéfique pour la santé au travail des travailleurs. Cependant, l’efficacité des RPSST peut être diminuée par un certain nombre de facteurs déterminants. L’un des facteurs sous-étudiés est l’interaction qui existe entre les travailleurs et les RPSST, c’est-à-dire la relation que les travailleurs et leurs représentants établissent les uns avec les autres dans une vaste gamme de processus.
Nous explorons les connaissances et les opinions des travailleurs sur leurs interactions avec les RPSST et leurs déterminants. Nous avons entrepris une étude qualitative exploratoire et descriptive-interprétative, à travers 22 entretiens semi-structurés grâce à un échantillon théorique de travailleurs de Barcelone et de Gérone (Espagne).
Les résultats montrent une grande méconnaissance de l’existence et des fonctions des RPSST parmi les travailleurs; seuls ceux qui connaissent personnellement les RPSST décrivent les processus d’interaction avec ces derniers, principalement en ce qui concerne l’identification des dangers. Parmi les travailleurs, certains ont mentionné des processus d’interaction avec les syndicats concernant la santé et la sécurité au travail. Ces processus consistent principalement à soulever les problèmes avec les représentants syndicaux et, de manière plus limitée, à s’associer à des mobilisations liées à la santé au travail et à participer aux processus de prise de décision.
Parmi les facteurs qui sont fortement déterminants dans l’interaction entre les travailleurs et leurs représentants — que ce soient des délégués dans le domaine de la prévention ou des représentants syndicaux —, l’on retrouve des aspects qui ont un rapport avec les représentants et les travailleurs, et, de manière plus diluée, des facteurs liés au contexte ou à l’entreprise.
L’étude contribue à la recherche sur l’importance d’établir des relations de représentation, afin de mieux comprendre (et représenter) les besoins des travailleurs et de permettre que les organismes collectifs représentatifs retrouvent leur légitimité.
Mots-clés:
- santé et sécurité au travail,
- participation des travailleurs,
- interaction,
- Espagne
Resumen
La acción de los delegados de prevención (DPs) ha demostrado ser beneficiosa para la salud laboral de los trabajadores, pero la efectividad de los DPs puede verse disminuida por una serie de factores determinantes. Un factor poco estudiado que moldea la efectividad de los DPs es la interacción que existe entre los trabajadores y los delegados, es decir, la relación que los trabajadores y sus representantes establecen entre sí a través de una amplia gama de procesos.
En este artículo exploramos el conocimiento y las opiniones de los trabajadores sobre su interacción con los DPs y sus determinantes. Se realizó un estudio cualitativo exploratorio y descriptivo-interpretativo, mediante 22 entrevistas semiestructuradas con una muestra teórica de trabajadores de Barcelona y Girona (España).
Los resultados muestran un amplio desconocimiento de la existencia y funciones de los DPs entre los trabajadores; solamente los pocos trabajadores que conocen personalmente a los DPs describen procesos de interacción con ellos, principalmente referidos a la identificación de peligros. Algunos trabajadores mencionan procesos de interacción con sindicatos por temas de salud ocupacional. Estos procesos se refieren principalmente a presentar problemas a quienes identifican como representantes sindicales y, si bien de forma muy limitada, a haberse unido a movilizaciones relacionadas con la salud ocupacional y participado en procesos de toma de decisiones. Emergen con fuerza como factores determinantes de la interacción entre los trabajadores y sus representantes -ya sea delegados de prevención o representantes sindicales- aspectos relacionados con los representantes y los trabajadores y, de forma más diluida, factores contextuales o de la empresa.
El estudio contribuye a la investigación sobre la importancia de la construcción de relaciones de representatividad en tanto que vía para entender (y representar) mejor las necesidades de los trabajadores y como una fuente de fortaleza para que los cuerpos de representación colectiva recobren legitimidad.
Palabras claves:
- salud laboral,
- participación de los trabajadores,
- interacción,
- España
Appendices
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