Employment conditions, conflicts, and new challenges along the transport-logistics chain

Logistics, understood as a management tool for the flow of goods and transport, has emerged as a strategic aspect of the economy. The complexity of a logistics transport chain is correlated with the increasing structuring of firms into networks and the fragmentation of global value chains. While the modern economy demands greater synchronization, the Covid-19 pandemic highlighted that a disruption to any link in the chain can have systemic impacts. The pandemic has placed significant pressure on global supply chains, affecting employment conditions, particularly on ships, in warehouses, and in last-mile logistics. Labor market distortions are offset by intense competition along the logistics chain, encompassing maritime activities, cargo handling in ports, and transport services in the hinterland, where distribution centers are located. In this introduction, we define logistics as a complex and diverse field, elucidating key aspects not yet fully addressed in the scientific literature. This Special Issue aims to enrich the scientific debate on logistics by exploring the evolving dynamics along the logistics chain with a focus on labor issues. We examine logistics and transport infrastructures by posing questions aimed at facilitating comprehensive empirical descriptions and broad theoretical reflections on contemporary forms of labor.