Pimeä työ ravintola-alalla: Osallistumisen muodot, syyt ja seuraukset

Abstract

Undeclared work results in significant loss of government tax revenue and social security contributions. Previous research has largely overlooked the diversity of different types of undeclared work in the Finnish labour market. To address this gap, the article investigates the motives, contributing factors, and consequences of participating in undeclared work in the Finnish restaurant industry.<br/><br/>Content analysis of open-ended survey responses shows that undeclared work can be divided into two main categories: employee-based and employer-based undeclared work. Employee-based undeclared work benefits both employers and employees, who often take the initiative in negotiating such arrangements. For the employees, it provides supplementary income to formal salaries, compensating for the imbalance between job demands and insufficient pay in the restaurant industry. Undeclared work may also be undertaken to help a family member or friend with labour shortages in their restaurant. Employer-based undeclared work stems from the employer’s need for cheap and flexible labour. It provides a competitive advantage in a highly competitive business environment. In this case, the economic gains from undeclared work primarily benefit the employer. Undeclared work may involve multiple other labour violations, such as underpayment and unsafe working conditions. The participation of employees is involuntary, and they are often unaware that their work is not declared to the authorities.<br/><br/>The study concludes with policy recommendations. Tackling precarious work and ensuring adequate minimum wages in the restaurant industry would make <br/>undeclared work less attractive for employees. Improved detection measures are crucial to preventing undeclared work from escalating into more serious labour <br/>exploitation. Improving migrant workers’ knowledge of their rights and undeclared work is necessary to protect them from exploitation and to promote fair working <br/>conditions.