The need for guaranteed social and labour compliance clauses in public contracts: An approach to the Spanish case

Abstract

The work provides the contributions of an empirical study recently carried out by the University of Valencia (Spain) in collaboration with the Generalitat Valenciana (Regional Government). The work is mainly based on a qualitative methodology using in-depth interviews open to experts in the field (specifically 13) and on the presentations of renowned speakers at the 12th Economy Week of Alzira (Valencia), to which a content analysis was applied. Based on the results obtained and the multidisciplinary academic literature (labour relations, sociology, public administration and social responsibility), the debate concerns the feasibility of public administrations establishing, among their contracts for the procurement of works, services and supplies, some clauses that seek to ensure legal compliance in socio-labour matters of subcontracted companies with their workers. This question raises a new vision of a topic of current relevance and is a clear commitment to improvement of the health of organisations that would also affect labour relations.