Your search
Results 8 resources
-
The article reviews the book, "Paths to Union Renewal: Canadian Experiences," edited by Pradeep Kumar and Christopher Schenk.
-
International trade unionism faces a major challenge. Historically, Global Union Federations have been small and relatively remote international union secretariats with limited capacity to mobilize and speak on behalf of local members. However, with the changing architecture of international capital and nation states, these union bodies have started to renew themselves. The argument is that the emergent political economy provides the base upon which these unions can begin to campaign and represent members in more dynamic ways than in the past. Critical to these developments has been the promulgation of International Framework Agreements which adapt and extend familiar tools of representation. The outcome is the possibility of a multi-faceted form of trade unionism.
-
Trade unions face a range of challenges in a global world. As trade, production and consumption relations change, unions have begun to consider how they organize and operate. The argument is that for trade unions to effectively challenge key aspects of these global relations, they must take steps to rebuild the way they organize and operate at local levels. The conditions for this step are a reflective and experienced leadership, opportunities for leaders to meet each other, and for activists to develop practices of solidarity, information exchange and union cooperation with each other. To explore these themes we study a proto-typical case of inter-union coalition building. Over the last four years, three remote and local transport unions, in Victoria, Australia have developed the Victorian Group of the International Transport Federation. In doing this, these unions are building on existing forms of organization and in the process, they are reforging their relations with each other so as to have the potential to challenge international employers.
-
This comprehensive survey of continuity and change in trade unions looks at five primarily English-speaking countries: the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the UK. The authors consider the recent re-examination by trade union movements of the basis of union organization and activity in the face of a harsher economic and political climate. One of the impetuses for this re-examination has been the recent history of unions in the USA. American models of renewal have inspired Australia, New Zealand and the UK, while Canada has undergone a cautious examination of the US model with an attempt to develop a distinctive approach. This book aims to provide a thorough grounding for informed discussion and debate about the position and place of trade unions in modern economies. --Publisher's description. Contents: Unions in crisis, unions in renewal / Peter Fairbrother, Charlotte A.B. Yates -- The American labour movement and the resurgence in union organizing / Kate Bronfenbrenner -- You just can't do it automatically: the transition to social movement unionism in the United States / Kim Voss, Rachel Sherman -- Trade union innovation, adaptation and renewal in Australia: still searching for the holy membership grail / Gerard Griffin, Rai Small, Stuart Svensen -- A near death experience: one union fights for life / Belinda Probert, Peter Ewer -- From organizational breadth to depth: New Zealand's trade unions under the Employment Contracts Act / Pat Walsh, Aaron Crawford -- A story of crisis and change: the service and food workers union of Aotearoa / Sarah Oxenbridge -- The dilemmas of social partnership and union organization: questions for British trade unions / Peter Fairbrother, Paul Stewart -- Rhetoric and reality: the adoption of the organizing model in manufacturing, science and finance / Bob Carter -- Strategic dilemma: the state of union renewal in Canada / Pradeep Kumar, Gregor Murray -- The revival of industrial unions in Canada: the extension and adaptation of industrial union practices to the new economy / Charlotte A.B. Yates -- Social movement unionism: beyond the organizing model / Christopher Schenk -- Globalization, trade union organization and workers' rights / Huw Beynon.
-
Describes the varying patterns of union governance and membership since 1945 in the five primarily English-speaking countries of Australia, Canada, Great Britain, New Zealand, and the US. Discusses union efforts at renewal in the 1990s as a result of declining membership and waning political influence.
-
Discusses way and means to rejuvenate union democracy and education, with references to the Canadian labour movement.
-
Detailed assessment of the mixed record of the Canadian labour movement over the past decade. Concludes that union renewal lies in the balance between union education and democracy, and engagement with workplace restructuring.
-
Analyzes how, in the late 1980s, industrial unions such as the Canadian Auto Workers adapted successfully to the growth of the service sector and the changing composition of the workforce. Concludes that problems of internal union structure and identity, as well as jurisdictional disputes between unions, are still not resolved.
Explore
Resource type
- Book (1)
- Book Section (4)
- Journal Article (3)