Between Theory and Rhetoric. The Workers’ Reality

The study attempts to cast fresh light on the debate by analysing the first hand experiences of workers in three companies privatised during the 1990s to establish the extent to which privatisation affected working conditions, workers’ standard of living and attitudes and perceptions. Interviews with present workers revealed that the shift towards practices which rewarded productivity rather than political allegiances was generally seen as positive, and for most, working and living conditions had been negatively affected. The first hand experiences of workers who lived through the privatisation process add important insights to the policy discussion about public enterprise reform, and inform ways in which the process can be improved to promote the well-being of workers.