62

Since the 1980s, a number of services not directly related to the main activities of dominant economic structures have been gradually outsourced to external providers. In order to maintain their position within the economic field or conquer new markets, these provides develop strategies based on the compression of wages. This economic upheaval provided the context in which the market for private security has been consolidated. Competing to expand, security firms take advantage of a workforce characterized by a diversified previous work experience and a social and professional downward mobility, that is not protected from job insecurity by entering the market for private security. In fact, this workforce is dispersed over several sites and frequently experiences the difficulties of unqualified work. In such a context, the type of collective action that would be needed in order to (re)define a status and improve the work conditions is not very likely.