IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/ecoind/v34y2013i2p247-268.html

Varieties of regional economic integration and labor internationalism: The case of Japanese trade unions in comparison

Author

Listed:
  • Katarzyna Gajewska

Abstract

This article examines whether Japanese trade unions have developed greater levels of international cooperation as a result of increased regional integration, i.e. economic partnerships with Asian counterparts in the 2000s. Labor rights at the regional level or resources that allow workers to organize are absent in the Japanese case; therefore, its analysis enriches understanding of the impact of those elements on labor internationalism in varieties of international regional integration. Economic partnership agreements were found not to be an incentive for building relations among Japanese and fellow international trade unions. Instead, cooperation was found to be contingent on already established ties. The article also demonstrates a growing interest among Japanese and other trade unions in responding to regional projects of the East Asian Community and Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

Suggested Citation

  • Katarzyna Gajewska, 2013. "Varieties of regional economic integration and labor internationalism: The case of Japanese trade unions in comparison," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 34(2), pages 247-268, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ecoind:v:34:y:2013:i:2:p:247-268
    DOI: 10.1177/0143831X12442577
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0143831X12442577
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/0143831X12442577?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. John Benson, 1996. "A Typology of Japanese Enterprise Unions," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 34(3), pages 371-386, September.
    2. Paul Magnette, 2003. "European Governance and Civic Participation: Beyond Elitist Citizenship?," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 51(1), pages 144-160, March.
    3. Dae Yong Jeong & Ruth V. Aguilera, 2008. "The Evolution of Enterprise Unionism in Japan: A Socio‐Political Perspective," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 46(1), pages 98-132, March.
    4. Hyman, Richard, 2005. "Trade unions and the politics of the European social model," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 753, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    5. Keith Abbott, 2000. "Why ideology dominates regional trade unionism in the Asia Pacific," Asia Pacific Business Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 6(3-4), pages 15-33, January.
    6. Monika Ewa Kaminska & Jelle Visser, 2011. "The Emergence of Industrial Relations in Regional Trade Blocks — A Comparative Analysis," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 49(2), pages 256-281, June.
    7. Cox, Robert W., 1971. "Labor and Transnational Relations," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 25(3), pages 554-584, July.
    8. Manger, Mark S., 2005. "Competition and bilateralism in trade policy: the case of Japan's free trade agreements," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 25292, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    9. John Lawler & Chokechai Suttawet, 2000. "Labour unions, globalization and deregulation in Thailand," Asia Pacific Business Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 6(3-4), pages 214-238, January.
    10. Chase, Kerry A., 2008. "Moving Hollywood Abroad: Divided Labor Markets and the New Politics of Trade in Services," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 62(4), pages 653-687, October.
    11. Paul Marginson, 2005. "Industrial Relations at European Sector Level: The Weak Link?," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 26(4), pages 511-540, November.
    12. Akira Suzuki, 2008. "Community Unions in Japan: Similarities and Differences of Region-based Labour Movements between Japan and Other Industrialized Countries," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 29(4), pages 492-520, November.
    13. Richard M. Locke & Kathleen Thelen, 1995. "Apples and Oranges Revisited: Contextualized Comparisons and the Study of Comparative Labor Politics," Politics & Society, , vol. 23(3), pages 337-367, September.
    14. Richard Hyman, 2005. "Trade Unions and the Politics of the European Social Model," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 26(1), pages 9-40, February.
    15. Byeong Hae Sohn, 2002. "Regionalization of Trade and Investment in East Asia and Prospects for Further Regional Integration," Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(2), pages 160-181.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Arjan B Keizer, 2019. "Inclusion of ‘Outsiders’ by Japanese Unions? The Organizing of Non-Regular Workers in Retail," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 33(2), pages 226-243, April.
    2. Dongwoo Park, 2023. "Lopsided inclusion: The impact of multi‐employer bargaining and class‐based unionism on non‐regular employment in South Korea," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 61(1), pages 110-132, March.
    3. Daryl D'Art & Thomas Turner, 2008. "Workers and the Demand for Trade Unions in Europe: Still a Relevant Social Force?," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 29(2), pages 165-191, May.
    4. Eriks Ozols & Stefan Ivanov Hristov & Thomas Paster, 2025. "Unions divided? Trade union attitudes towards the European Union’s Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 46(2), pages 372-396, May.
    5. Engin Yildirim & Suayyip Calis & Abdurrahman Benli, 2008. "Turkish Labour Confederations and Turkey's Membership of the European Union," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 29(3), pages 362-387, August.
    6. Nicolo Rosetti, 2019. "Do European trade unions foster social solidarity? Evidence from multilevel data in 18 countries," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(1), pages 84-101, January.
    7. Christoph Hermann, 2017. "Crisis, structural reform and the dismantling of the European Social Model(s)," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 38(1), pages 51-68, February.
    8. Betz, Timm & Pond, Amy, 2025. "Liberalization," SocArXiv ugqnx_v1, Center for Open Science.
    9. Gregory Jackson & Sarosh Kuruvilla & Carola Frege, 2013. "Across Boundaries: The Global Challenges Facing Workers and Employment Research 50th Anniversary Special Issue," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 51(3), pages 425-439, September.
    10. SÅ‚awomir Adamczyk & Barbara Surdykowska, 2024. "Perspective. The mirage of Europeanising industrial relations. What possibilities for East-West trade union cooperation?," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 30(1), pages 103-115, February.
    11. Caroline Patsias & Anne Latendresse & Laurence Bherer, 2013. "Participatory Democracy, Decentralization and Local Governance: the Montreal Participatory Budget in the light of ‘Empowered Participatory Governance’," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(6), pages 2214-2230, November.
    12. Jens Arnholtz & Nana Wesley Hansen, 2013. "Labour market specific institutions and the working conditions of labour migrants: The case of Polish migrant labour in the Danish labour market," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 34(3), pages 401-422, August.
    13. Mélanie Dufour-Poirier & Marc-Antonin Hennebert, 2015. "The transnationalization of trade union action within multinational corporations: A comparative perspective," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 36(1), pages 73-98, February.
    14. Eduardo Ortas & Isabel Gallego‐Álvarez & Igor Álvarez, 2019. "National institutions, stakeholder engagement, and firms' environmental, social, and governance performance," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 26(3), pages 598-611, May.
    15. Guendalina Anzolin & Chiara Benassi & Armanda Cetrulo, 2024. "Industrial relations and firm-level innovation. A comparative analysis of establishment data in Germany and Italy," LEM Papers Series 2024/12, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.
    16. Hiroaki Richard Watanabe, 2021. "The political agency and social movements of Japanese individually-affiliated unions," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 42(3), pages 531-551, August.
    17. P. Giannoccolo, 2004. "The Brain Drain. A Survey of the Literature," Working Papers 526, Dipartimento Scienze Economiche, Universita' di Bologna.
    18. Milan Zafirovski, 2022. "Some dilemmas of economic democracy: Indicators and empirical analysis," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 43(1), pages 252-302, February.
    19. Bengt Larsson & Anton Törnberg, 2021. "Sectoral networks of transnational trade union cooperation in Europe," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 42(4), pages 1189-1209, November.
    20. Jane Lethbridge, 2011. "Social dialogue in the hospital sector at EU level," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 17(4), pages 501-513, November.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:ecoind:v:34:y:2013:i:2:p:247-268. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.ekhist.uu.se/english.htm .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.