Trade Unions in Western Europe

Trade Unions in Western Europe PDF Author: Rebecca Gumbrell-McCormick
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0199644411
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 263

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Book Description
Trade unions in most of Europe are on the defensive: in recent decades they have lost membership, sometimes drastically; their collective bargaining power has declined, as has their influence on government; and in many countries, their public respect is much diminished. This book explores the challenges facing trade unions and their responses in ten west European countries: Britain, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Italy. Based on a substantial number of interviews with key union representatives and academic experts in each country, together with the collection of a large amount of union documentation and background material, the book gives an account of how trade unionism has evolved in each country, the main recent challenges that unions have faced, and their responses. The book engages with the debates of the past two decades on union modernization and revitalization, and more generally with theories of institutional change and the literature on varieties of capitalism. Some observers ask whether unions remain relevant socio-economic actors, but challenging times can stimulate new thinking, and hence provide new opportunities. This book aims to show why trade unions are (still) important subjects for scientific analysis: first, as a means of collective 'voice' allowing employees to challenge management control and bringing a measure of balance to the employment relationship; second, as a form of 'countervailing power' to the socio-economic dominance of capital; and third, their potential as a 'sword of justice' to defend the weak, vulnerable and disadvantaged, express a set of values in opposition to the dominant political economy, and offer aspirations for a different—and better—form of society.

Trade Unions in Western Europe

Trade Unions in Western Europe PDF Author: Rebecca Gumbrell-McCormick
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0199644411
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 263

Get Book

Book Description
Trade unions in most of Europe are on the defensive: in recent decades they have lost membership, sometimes drastically; their collective bargaining power has declined, as has their influence on government; and in many countries, their public respect is much diminished. This book explores the challenges facing trade unions and their responses in ten west European countries: Britain, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Italy. Based on a substantial number of interviews with key union representatives and academic experts in each country, together with the collection of a large amount of union documentation and background material, the book gives an account of how trade unionism has evolved in each country, the main recent challenges that unions have faced, and their responses. The book engages with the debates of the past two decades on union modernization and revitalization, and more generally with theories of institutional change and the literature on varieties of capitalism. Some observers ask whether unions remain relevant socio-economic actors, but challenging times can stimulate new thinking, and hence provide new opportunities. This book aims to show why trade unions are (still) important subjects for scientific analysis: first, as a means of collective 'voice' allowing employees to challenge management control and bringing a measure of balance to the employment relationship; second, as a form of 'countervailing power' to the socio-economic dominance of capital; and third, their potential as a 'sword of justice' to defend the weak, vulnerable and disadvantaged, express a set of values in opposition to the dominant political economy, and offer aspirations for a different—and better—form of society.

Trade Unions in Western Europe since 1945

Trade Unions in Western Europe since 1945 PDF Author: J. Visser
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 1349655112
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 812

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Book Description
The Societies of Europe is an 8-title series of historical data handbooks and accompanying CD-ROM sets, on the development of Europe from the nineteenth to the twentieth century. The series is a product of the Mannheim Centre for Social research, a body dedicated to comparative research on Europe and one of the leading social research institutes in the world. It is a collection of datasets giving a clear and systematic study of long term developments in European society. The data is presented statistically and is clearly comparative. The Societies of Europe is the most comprehensive data series available on Western European social issues. Each book is accompanied by a CD-ROM containing data sets not included in the text enabling users to manipulate the data as wanted. Information is available in different programmes (Excel, SPSS and SAS) and in data structures for analysis, viewing and building time series. This comparative data handbook offers an empirical base to a long-term and comparative understanding of changes and variations in European union movements. It provides information on the context and history of union development, the changes in the structure of post-war unionism until today, the long-term trends in union membership and union density, and the shifts in the cross-sectional composition of union membership. This book and CD-ROM are the result of many years of research by the authors in collaboration with an international research team, and provides an original source for comparative and national studies or individual enquiries. The country and comparative tables offer cross-checked and often newly-calculated statistics on national union organizations and their membership series. The CD-ROM includes selected tables from the handbook and provides additional databases with organizational data and membership series of major national and European union organizations.

Trade Unions and Politics in Western Europe

Trade Unions and Politics in Western Europe PDF Author: J. E. S. Hayward
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 113578065X
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 168

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Book Description
This book analyses the politics and political issues associated with Trade Unions and Trade Unionism in Western Europe.

The Crisis of Social Democratic Trade Unionism in Western Europe

The Crisis of Social Democratic Trade Unionism in Western Europe PDF Author: Martin Upchurch
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317036905
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 270

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Book Description
There is a developing crisis of social democratic trade unionism in Western Europe; this volume outlines the crisis and examines the emerging alternatives. The authors define 'social democratic trade unionism' and its associated party-union nexus and explain how this traditional model has been threatened by social democracy's accommodation to neo-liberal restructuring and public service reform. Examining the experience of Sweden, Germany, Britain and France, the volume explores the historical rise and fall of social democratic trade unionism in each of these countries and probes the policy and practice of the European Trade Union Confederation. The authors critically examine the possibilities for a revival of social democratic unionism in terms of strategic policy and identity, offering suggestions for an alternative, radicalized political unionism. The research value of the book is highlighted by its focus on contemporary developments and its authors' intimate knowledge of the chosen countries.

The Brave New World of European Labor

The Brave New World of European Labor PDF Author: Andrew Martin
Publisher: Berghahn Books
ISBN: 9781571811684
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 438

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Book Description
Using a common framework developed by a collaborative Harvard University and Brandeis University affiliated research team, this volume surveys and analyzes the strategic responses of national unions in Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain to the last two decades of economic change. Also evaluated is the response of Sweden, long seen as the most successful variation of the European model, as well as EU level transnational unionism. The volume concludes with a reflection on new union positions and their implications, particularly on the question of what will happen to the "European model of society" as a consequence. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Trade Unions in Western Europe Since 1945

Trade Unions in Western Europe Since 1945 PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Labor unions
Languages : en
Pages : 807

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Book Description


Trade Union Democracy in Western Europe

Trade Union Democracy in Western Europe PDF Author: Walter Galenson
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520339401
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 112

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Book Description
This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1961.

Trade Unions in Western Europe

Trade Unions in Western Europe PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : BUSINESS & ECONOMICS
Languages : en
Pages : 242

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Book Description


Trade Unions and European Integration

Trade Unions and European Integration PDF Author: Johannes Kiess
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780367188856
Category : Collective bargaining
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Introduction: trade unions under the pressure of European integration. a question of optimism and pessimism? / Martin Seeliger and Johannes Kiess -- Trade unions in the European crisis : a social movement perspective / Donatella della Porta -- Comment on Della Porta / Wolfgang Streeck -- Conceptualising the development of European industrial relations from a neo-Gramscian perspective / Andreas Bieler and Hans-Jürgen Bieling -- Self-intimidation : comment on bieler/bieling / Georg Vobruba -- The Europeanisation of wage bargaining coordination / Susanne Pernicka and Vera Glassner -- The coordination paradox : a comparative political economy perspective on transnational wage coordination / Martin Höpner -- Ambiguities of social europe : political agenda setting among trade unionists from Central and Eastern Europe and Western Europe / Martin Seeliger -- Comment on Seeliger / Guglielmo Meardi -- EWC : ineffective bureaucratic body or institutionalising labour regulation at European company level? / Ludger Pries -- The European works council : not an effective means against site-competition and multiscalar social fragmentation / Stefanie Hürtgen -- The long and winding road to pan-European co-determination rights / Sara Lafuente Hernández -- Europe is not the answer. some remarks on the future of worker co-determination in Europe / Benjamin Werner -- European economic governance, autonomy of collective bargaining and democratic capitalism / Daniel Seikel -- Going beyond institutional restrictions : conflict as a challenge / Johannes Kiess -- Contention in times of crisis : British and German social actors and the quest of framing capitalism / Johannes Kiess -- Comment on "contention in times of crisis" / Oliver Nachtwey -- A constant tug of war : neoliberalism and social unrest in (post)-crisis Europe / Madelaine Moore and Anne Engelhardt -- Comment on "a constant tug of war" / Roland Erne -- Index.

Solidarity with Solidarity

Solidarity with Solidarity PDF Author: Idesbald Goddeeris
Publisher: Lexington Books
ISBN: 0739150707
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 322

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Book Description
The Polish crisis in the early 1980s provoked a great deal of reaction in the West. Not only governments, but social movements were also touched by the establishment of the Independent Trade Union Solidarnosc in the summer of 1980, the proclamation of martial law in December 1981, and Solidarnosc's underground activity in the subsequent years. In many countries, campaigns were set up in order to spread information, raise funds, and provide the Polish opposition with humanitarian relief and technical assistance. Labor movements especially stepped into the limelight. A number of Western European unions were concerned about the new international tension following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the new hard-line policy of the US and saw Solidarnosc as a political instrument of clerical and neo-conservative cold warriors. This book analyzes reaction to Solidarnosc in nine Western European countries and within the international trade union confederations. It argues that Western solidarity with Solidarnosc was highly determined by its instrumental value within the national context. Trade unions openly sided with Solidarnosc when they had an interest in doing so, namely when Solidarnosc could strengthen their own program or position. But this book also reveals that reaction in allegedly reluctant countries was massive, albeit discreet, pragmatic, and humanitarian, rather than vocal, emotional, and political.