Innovations in Labor Studies - Incorporating Global Perspectives: From Exhortation to Making It Real

Abstract

Ever since the mid-1840s, there has been an exhortation for workers of the world to unite globally. With the exception of a three-year period between 1946 and 1949-with the founding and development of the World Federation of Trade Unions immediately after the end of World War II-this has been generally a call limited to rhetoric only. The growing understanding of a globalizing world today, however-affecting the world of work, workers and their organizations-suggests it time for workers to try to make it real. This paper examines two issues pertinent to this new understanding. First, we've got to come to terms with "globalization" and its complexity. And second, we need to recognize that there has been an explosion of globally-aware writings on labor that have emerged since the late 1970s.