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Militant partnership: a radical pluralist analysis of workforce dialectics

Author

Listed:
  • Tony Dundon

    (National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland)

  • Tony Dobbins

    (Bangor University, UK)

Abstract

The sociological understandings of both cooperation and resistance at work are complex. This article contributes to knowledge about dialectic tensions concerning both collaborative and conflictual workforce orientations in the context of a ‘pre-arranged’ union-management partnership agreement. It reports unofficial workforce militancy in opposition to both management and union policy regarding a socially constructed cooperative work regime. The article advances a ‘radical pluralist’ analysis to understand the formation of worker interests and attendant workforce orientations within capitalism.

Suggested Citation

  • Tony Dundon & Tony Dobbins, 2015. "Militant partnership: a radical pluralist analysis of workforce dialectics," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 29(6), pages 912-931, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:woemps:v:29:y:2015:i:6:p:912-931
    DOI: 10.1177/0950017014559961
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Carola Frege & John Kelly & Patrick McGovern, 2011. "Richard Hyman: Marxism, Trade Unionism and Comparative Employment Relations," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 49(2), pages 209-230, June.
    2. Gregor Gall, 2013. "Employers against Unions: The British Experience of Union Victimisation," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Gregor Gall & Tony Dundon (ed.), Global Anti-Unionism, chapter 6, pages 104-120, Palgrave Macmillan.
    3. Jacques Bélanger & Paul Edwards, 2007. "The Conditions Promoting Compromise in the Workplace," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 45(4), pages 713-734, December.
    4. McGovern, Patrick, 2014. "Contradictions at work: a critical review," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 45188, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    5. Tony Dundon & Tony Dobbins & Niall Cullinane & Eugene Hickland & Jimmy Donaghey, 2014. "Employer occupation of regulatory space of the Employee Information and Consultation (I&C) Directive in liberal market economies," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 28(1), pages 21-39, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Paul Edwards & Andy Hodder, 2022. "Conflict and control in the contemporary workplace: Structured antagonism revisited," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(3), pages 220-240, May.
    2. Emma S Hughes & Tony Dobbins & Stephen Murphy, 2019. "‘Going Underground’: A Tube Worker’s Experience of Struggles over the Frontier of Control," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 33(1), pages 174-183, February.
    3. Birgit Apitzsch & Maximiliane Wilkesmann & Caroline Ruiner & Mona Bassyiouny & Ronny Ehlen & Lena Schulz, 2023. "Labour market collectivism: New solidarities of highly skilled freelance workers in medicine, IT and the film industry," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 44(4), pages 1149-1175, November.
    4. Lisa Chamberlain & Emma Hughes & Rory Donnelly, 2025. "Bridging the Gaps in Work Quality Research: A Multi-Level Interdisciplinary Review," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 39(4), pages 949-971, August.

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