Organising non‐standard workers: union recruitment in the Irish care sector

Abstract

In 2004, Ireland's largest union initiated its most comprehensive organising campaign to date, resulting in 12,000 care workers being organised. This article explores how unions can sustain campaigns among a dispersed workforce, and how public support and worker commitment can be leveraged to achieve structural changes in an emerging sector.

Job demand, control and unresolved stress within the emotional work of long-term care in England

“…These differences are likely to be linked to the characteristics of the group of workers who are more likely to be members of trade unions. Murphy and Turner (2014) argue that to mobilise unionisation of non-standard workers such as care workers, three conditions are needed: 'grievances, blame attribution and efficacy beliefs'.…”

Mobilising for equality? Understanding the impact of grass roots agency and third party representation

“…(Cox et al ., : 735)This is a familiar theme in applications of mobilisation theory. Many studies (Johnson and Jarley, ; Cunningham, ; Darlington, ; Murphy and Turner, ; Wood, ) call attention to the actual or potential leadership contribution of union activists, inviting comparison with orthodox and ‘heroic’ notions of ‘leaderism’ in the business and management literature (O'Reilly and Reed, ). There are unpalatable similarities in the treatment of followers.…”

“…This treatment is evident in union debates about managed activism and the working out of leadership roles at national, regional, sectoral and branch levels (Darlington, ; Gajewska and Niesyto, ; Murphy and Turner, ; Simms, ). Whilst tensions are recognised along with the effects of contradictory behaviour in stalling or dissipating mobilisations (Cunningham, ; Taylor and Bain, ), the agency that commands attention is quite tightly contained within union hierarchies.…”

“…As others have acknowledged (Cox et al ., ; Cunningham, ; Darlington, ; Murphy and Turner, ), Kelly's mobilisation theory promotes an integrated appreciation of structural factors (including market, institutional and regulatory pressures) and their effect on the struggles between employers and union activists. It also provides a basis for applied research on the practicalities of union organising and campaigning.…”

The Petroleum Driver Passport scheme: a case study in reregulation

“…The American developments in social care and the UK experiment in ‘socially sustainable sourcing’ are not the only cases of reregulation through multi‐employer arrangements that have been reported. The arrangements in social care have clear parallels with the well‐known Justice for Janitors campaign in the United States (Milkman, ), and in Ireland, a union campaign has led to the extension of public sector terms and conditions to domiciliary care workers employed by voluntary organisations that receive state funding (Murphy and Turner, ). In the UK, other studies attest to the role of unions and lead firms in promoting good health and safety practice amongst subcontractors in both construction and the maritime industry (James et al ., ; Wright and Brown, ).…”