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Solidarity at Last? International Trade Unionism Approaching the Millennium

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  • Harvie Ramsay

    (University of Strathclyde)

Abstract

The analysis of supranational union organization has been a neglected area for many years. However, the construction of trading blocs and the accelerating internationalization of capital has increased the motivation for labour movements to cooperate, and provided some new opportunities for such efforts. In order to assess the prospects for success, five different approaches to analysis of international unionism are distilled from a fragmented literature, evaluated critically, and the subsequent insights are applied to the prospects for the future. The assessment concentrates on the European scene, where the pace of change and the efforts to construct a continental industrial relations area have been most in evidence. Conclusions are mixed: while there are some real advances and areas of improved outlook for international unions, there are growing challenges from management and a double-edged shift to an enterprise focus in many areas of activity.

Suggested Citation

  • Harvie Ramsay, 1997. "Solidarity at Last? International Trade Unionism Approaching the Millennium," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 18(4), pages 503-537, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ecoind:v:18:y:1997:i:4:p:503-537
    DOI: 10.1177/0143831X97184002
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Miguel Martinez Lucio & Syd Weston, 1995. "Trade Unions and Networking in the Context of Change: Evaluating the Outcomes of Decentralization in Industrial Relations," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 16(2), pages 233-251, May.
    2. Janine Goetschy, 1994. "A Further Comment on Wolfgang Streeck's 'European Social Policy after Maastricht'," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 15(3), pages 477-485, August.
    3. Paul Marginson, 1992. "European Integration and Transnational Management-Union Relations in the Enterprise," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 30(4), pages 529-545, December.
    4. Steven Hecker, 1993. "US Unions, Trade and International Solidarity: Emerging Issues and Tactics," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 14(3), pages 355-367, August.
    5. George Ross, 1994. "On Half-Full Glasses, Europe and the Left: Comments on Wolfgang Streeck's 'European Social Policy after Maastricht'," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 15(3), pages 486-496, August.
    6. Hubert Krieger & Pascale Bonneton, 1995. "Analysis of existing voluntary agreements on information and consultation in European multinationals," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 1(2), pages 188-206, April.
    7. Wolfgang Streeck, 1994. "European Social Policy after Maastricht: The 'Social Dialogue' and 'Subsidiarily'," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 15(2), pages 151-177, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Andrea del Bono & María Tatiana Gorjup & Laura Henry & Mireia Valverde, 2013. "Call centres’ employment practices in global value networks: A view from Argentina as a receiving economy," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 34(4), pages 693-717, November.
    2. Elizabeth Cotton & Rebecca Gumbrell-McCormick, 2012. "Global Unions as imperfect multilateral organizations: An international relations perspective," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 33(4), pages 707-728, November.

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