Browsing by Author "Sironen, Elina"

This Master's Thesis approaches the EU-level discussion on posted workers through the theoretical framework based on Vivien A. Schmidt's Discursive Institutionalism, complemented by neo-Gramscian approach to policy studies. The aim of the thesis is to find out how the framings of posted workers have evolved over the period 1991-2018 and whether there is convergence between policy change concerning posted workers and the wider contextual changes at the EU-level. The methodological approach of this study is qualitative. The chosen method is based on policy frame analysis. As the period under consideration is rather long, the most significant events during the formation of the Directive were identified and the material was collected on the basis of this identification. Thus, the research material is comprised upon the key EU documentation related to the phenomenon of posting. Primary research material includes: Proposals for directives (3), the original directives (2), and other related EU-level documentation. Other relevant sources include preparatory documentation regarding the Revision of the Posting Directive and European Commission Work Programmes for the years 2016-2018. The most important finding revealed during the analysis was that the framing of the Posting Directive has shifted from a rather economic framing towards a more social framing during 1991–2018. In the 1990s, posted workers were primarily considered to be part of the free movement of services, whereas during the revision process, the prevalent framing has changed towards emphasizing the free movement of persons and the fundamental social rights of the European Union. However, even though the framings have evolved, the legislative basis of the Posting Directive has remained unchanged. The new social framing in the debate over posted workers is strongly linked to the development of the European Social Pillar, which has been formulated parallel to the Revision of the Posting of Workers Directive. In addition, many other EU-level social initiatives reinforce the reframing of posted workers through the social framework. Thus, the discussion reveals clear convergence between (re)framings of the policy and the wider EU-level ideational change towards a more social Europe. The societal contribution of this thesis lies in its contemporary topic that has been high on the EU agenda for several years but has, nevertheless, remained as a marginal topic for research. By familiarizing themselves with the findings of this thesis, policymakers and authorities could learn to better reflect upon how they frame policy issues and recognise how framing takes place at different levels during the decision-making process. Theoretically, this thesis contributes to the existing literature by focusing on the interaction between institutional change and policy change at ideational level.