A preferred workforce? Employment practices of East–West cross-border labour commuters in the Central European Region

Abstract

This paper deals with employment practices in the context of East-West cross-border commuting in the Central European Region (CENTROPE). The purpose of the analysis is to better understand the demand side of labour commuting from the border regions of the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia to Austria. Methodologically, 20 expert interviews were conducted with mayors, business owners, European Employment Services (EURES) employees and trade unionists operating in the region between 2011 and 2013. The analysis provides comprehensive information about the practice of employers, in particular their preference towards commuters as a flexible workforce and their patterns of rationalization of this preference, e.g. by referring to the commuters' specific work behaviour or differences in their local resident labour market in terms of income levels and employment opportunities.