: A five-country comparative analysis of case-study success

Projektziel

We examine the inclusion of young workers in processes of worker interest representation. By conducting an in-depth qualitative study of best-practice cases in four countries - Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States - we analyse the conditions under which young workers are being drawn into active participation in interest representation at the workplace.

Veröffentlichungen

Cha, Mijin, Camille Dupuy, Jane Holgate, Melanie Simms und Maite Tapia, 2019. Unions are only as old as they feel. lessons on young worker engagement from the UK, France, Germany and the US, ETUI Policy Brief 2, [online] https://www.etui.org/Publications2/Policy-Briefs/European-Economic-Employment-and-Social-Policy/Unions-are-only-as-old-as-they-feel-lessons-on-young-worker-engagement-from-the-UK-France-Germany-and-the-US, zuletzt abgerufen am 14.11.2019, Brussels: European Trade Union Institute, 5 Seiten.

Béroud, Sophie, Camille Dupuy, Marcus Kahmann und Karel Yon, 2019. Quelles politiques syndicales en direction des jeunes travailleurs?. Connaissance de l'emploi 149, [online] http://ceet.cnam.fr/publications/connaissance-de-l-emploi/quelles-politiques-syndicales-en-direction-des-jeunes-travailleurs--1100677.kjsp, zuletzt abgerufen am 05.12.2019, Paris: Centre d'études de l'emploi et du travail , 4 Seiten.

Béroud, Sophie, Camille Dupuy, Marcus Kahmann und Karel Yon, 2019. Jeunes et engagements auf travail. Une génération asyndicale?, Agora débats/jeunesses, 82, S. 7-25.

Béroud, Sophie, Camille Dupuy, Marcus Kahmann und Karel Yon, 2019. La difficile prise en charge par les syndicats francais de la cause des jeunes travailleurs, La Revue de l'IRES, 99, S. 91-119.

Tapia, Maite und Lowell Turner (Hrsg.), 2018. Young Workers and the Renewal of the Labor Movement. A Cross-National Perspective, Work and Occupations / Special Issue 45, Los Angeles; London; New Delhi: Sage, 528 Seiten.

Béroud, Sophie, Fanny Chartier, Camille Dupuy, Marcus Kahmann und Karel Yon, 2018. Quels engagements syndicaux pour les jeunes?, [online] http://www.ires.fr/etudes-recherches-ouvrages/eclairages/item/5707-eclairages-011, zuletzt abgerufen am 06.12.2019, Paris: Institut de recherches économiques et sociales , 15 Seiten.

Gasparri, Stefano, Peter Ikeler und Giovanna Fullin, 2018. Trade union strategy in fashion retail in Italy and the USA. Converging divergence between institutions and mobilization?, European Journal of Industrial Relations, 25, S. 345-361.

Ikeler, Peter und Giovanna Fullin, 2018. Training to empower. A decade of the Retail Action Project, Journal of Labor and Society, 21, S. 173-191.

Simms, Melanie, Jane Holgate und Andy Hodder, 2018. Organising Innovation. Unions, young workers and precarity, [online] http://unions21.org.uk/files1/Unions-Young-Workers-and-Precarity.pdf, zuletzt abgerufen am 06.12.2019, London: Unions21, 12 Seiten.

Tapia, Maite und Lowell Turner, 2018. Renewed Activism for the Labor Movement: The Urgency of Young Worker Engagement, In: Tapia, Maite; Lowell Turner (Hrsg.), Work and Occupations / Special Issue, Los Angeles; London; New Delhi: Sage, S. 391-419.

Simms, Melanie, Dennis Eversberg, Camille Dupuy und Lena Hipp, 2018. Organizing Young Workers Under Precarious Conditions: What Hinders or Facilitates Union Success, In: Tapia, Maite; Lowell Turner (Hrsg.), Work and Occupations / Special Issue, Los Angeles; London; New Delhi: Sage, S. 420-450.

Hodder, Andy, Giovanna Fullin, Marcus Kahmann und Salil R. Sapre, 2018. Walking the Tightrope: The Imperatives of Balancing Control and Autonomy for Young Worker Groups, In: Tapia, Maite; Lowell Turner (Hrsg.), Work and Occupations / Special Issue, Los Angeles; London; New Delhi: Sage, S. 475-500.

Cha, Mijin, Jane Holgate und Karel Yon, 2018. Emergent Cultures of Activism: Young People and the Building of Alliances Between Unions and Other Social Movements, In: Tapia, Maite; Lowell Turner (Hrsg.), Work and Occupations / Special Issue, Los Angeles; London; New Delhi: Sage, S. 451-474.

Alvarez, Sally M. und Jose F. Alvarez, 2018. Leadership Development as a Driver of Equity and Inclusion, In: Tapia, Maite; Lowell Turner (Hrsg.), Work and Occupations / Special Issue, Los Angeles; London; New Delhi: Sage, S. 501-528.

Projektbeschreibung

Kontext

Democratic workplace representation is a fundamental underpinning of a vibrant democratic society, and as a consequence, works councils and trade unions are critical institutions to enhance workplace democracy. While some scholars have lamented the decline in civic engagement more generally, others have pointed towards important grassroots initiatives more specifically that reinvigorate democracy and equality from below. However, if works councils and trade unions cannot attract young workers and develop new leadership, the future of worker interest representation is everywhere in peril and, more generally, a crisis of engagement is upon us. Based on scientific analysis, our aim in this research is to offer successful approaches to the development of a new generation of leaders in workplace representation, strategies that enrich works councils and trade unions in their diversity as well as practices that enhance workplace democracy and civic engagement more broadly.

Fragestellung

Our study revolves around the following research questions: To what extent do works councils (in Germany and France) and unions (in the UK and US) consciously pursue strategies aimed at integrating young workers in the life of the works council or union? What are the accomplishments and limitations of these specific strategic approaches? In other words, we examine what accounts for the relative success, accomplishments and limitations of such strategies and hypothesize that these will vary according to factors such as: national and local contexts (political, social, economic), workforce demographics, leadership choice, ideology, strategies of young workers groups, social coalition building, and the presence or absence of "bridge-building" individuals.

Untersuchungsmethoden

This research takes a qualitative, inductive, case study approach. The core sample is composed of "best practice" cases in which works councils and/or unions have developed specific strategies towards young workers that have worked well and can inform future research and strategy development.

Through systematic case study analysis and process-tracing, we identify underlying causal processes that explain the successful integration of young workers into institutions and processes of worker interest representation. Rich data analysis occurs at two levels: we combine cross-case comparisons and within-case analysis, seeking to identify causal variables through process-tracing.

Each country team has identified successful cases, conducted in-depth case study research, and written country reports. Team members also participated in workshops after the first and second project years to discuss findings and develop a cross-national comparative analysis.

Darstellung der Ergebnisse

Our research exposed four key themes.

First, precarity breeds innovation. With many young people finding themselves in precarious job situations, either enterprising young workers or established unions have devised innovative and more flexible ways to improve their working conditions.

Second, it is important to build alliances between the labour movement and civil society organisations. These alliances act as catalysts for innovation or change in unions’ framing of issues, their tactics, and even their organisational structures.

Third, finding a balance between gaining union support and allowing for local autonomy also emerged as a critical theme. Young worker groups are more likely to succeed when they enjoy sufficient leeway to undertake independent initiatives while also having the backing of an established union.

Fourth, is the significance of leadership training for young activists. It is critical, however, to examine whether such training allows for young worker empowerment and does merely socialise them into reproducing existing practices of the labour movement.