Workplace and employment characteristics of Citizens' Advice Bureau (CAB) clients

Purpose There is a paucity of information on the characteristics and reasons for workers contacting the CAB with employment problems. This paper seeks to fill this gap in people's knowledge by providing a detailed profile of the employment and personal characteristics of Citizens' Advice Bureau (CAB) clients. Design/methodology/approach A total of eight bureaux, from contrasting localities in Greater London, participated in the research. The data for this paper are derived predominantly from interviews with CAB clients and reinforced by quantitative data, which were also garnered. Findings It is argued that the use of the CAB, for employment advice, is rooted in a structural rather than an attitudinal explanation. Originality/value There is a growing recognition within the industrial relations literature of the increasing plurality of sources of representation available to workers. However, very little is known about those employees seeking advice and representation and the types of issues with which they approach bureaux.