Temporary and foreign labour force vs. industrial upgrading in global production networks: High or low road for Polish manufacturing?

The authors aim to capture the relationships between the employment of temporary and foreign workers and the recent development of export-oriented manufacturing in Poland. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative research, including regression models and 85 in-depth interviews conducted with company managers and trade union representatives, which show that a ‘high road’ of development and limited use of temporary labour are correlated. The propensity to use temporary workers depends on production and/or market conditions, company and managerial strategies, as well as the local labour market situation. It is greater in major urban agglomerations. Interestingly, reliance on foreign workers does not necessarily lead to a race to the bottom in employment conditions.