Employment struggles and the commodification of time: Marx and the analysis of working time flexibility

Tuckman, A, 2005. Employment struggles and the commodification of time: Marx and the analysis of working time flexibility. Philosophy of Management, 5 (2), pp. 47-56.

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Abstract

This paper explores new working time arrangements around a critique of the ‘commodification of time’ to illuminate the contradictions of such new flexibilities. Two features of these new arrangements are seen as relevant for evaluating the Marx/Engels analysis. Firstly, those arguing the commodification of time represent all [can you suggest a wording that will make clear what this ‘all’ refers to?] having become a commodity outside of the processes of exchange for labour power. Significantly – and central in all working time arrangements – it is labour power that is sold, be it for a particular period of time, rather than the time itself. Hence, working time arrangements set boundaries against ‘free’ time or time in which labour power is not sold as a commodity, that ‘free’ time which was recognised in the traditional arrangements – fought over in early industrialism – which set premium payments against anti-social hours within ‘overtime’. New working time arrangements tend to blur the boundaries between ‘free’ and ‘working’ time, assuming an availability of labour power to capital. While much of the promotion of flexibility stresses the possibility of making adjustment to suit social and domestic requirements it is more usually the means for altering working time to meet the demands of capital.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	Philosophy of Management
Creators:	Tuckman, A.
Publisher:	Philosophy of Management
Date:	2005
Volume:	5
Number:	2
Divisions:	Schools > Nottingham Business School
Record created by:	EPrints Services
Date Added:	09 Oct 2015 10:45
Last Modified:	19 Oct 2015 14:36
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/17574

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