This paper presents an analysis of the relationship between precariousness and collective action, focused upon exploring how the expansion of precarious employment in most European countries affects collective action, namely unionization and participation in public manifestations.Our hypothesis is that collective action is influenced by whether or not individuals work in conditions of precarious employment or have long-term contracts, and that this influence is mediated by social class, the presence of educational assets, age, levels of trust and working conditions. This is realized through multivariate analysis of European data, taking into account the main specificities within each nation. This analysis is based on results from the European Social Survey from 2006, with the exploration of corresponding indicators of precariousness, complemented by international indicators (e.g. from ILO), in 26 different European countries.We thus aim to enhance existing knowledge of labour market structures in Europe, arguing that it is crucial to take into account the influence individuals’ labour market situation has upon collective action, this also being a crucial analytical relationship in understanding the impact of precariousness.

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Collective action,precarity,inequality,Europe