As we know, work is the central pillar of the systems of welfare
that developed, namely, in capitalist countries after the Second World War. Due to recent
changes affecting both the quantity and quality of existing jobs, welfare regimes,
despite the differences that exist among them, face the common dilemma of how to
reconcile high levels of unemployment with generous social policies. In particular,
since the beginning of the nineties, the EU institutions have been trying to establish
common programs of action and/or concerted strategies to deal with structural unemployment.
Although, countries national historical configurations and politico institutional
features matter within the processes of transposing these programs and
procedures into domestic policies, we have to recognize the (growing) influences that
emanate, namely, from international organizations such as the EU and the OECD. In
this paper we focus on the changes and trends affecting the Portuguese labour market
and welfare state and aim to address how the relationship between work and social
protection is being redefined. Additionally, we consider the implications of these
changes for a welfare state that seems to be in an increasingly vulnerable position to cope with ongoing and future pressures.