Strength in Networks: Employment Rights Organizations and the Problem of Co‐Ordination

Abstract

In recent decades, alternative organizations and movements -'quasi-unions'- have emerged to fill gaps in the US system of representation caused by union decline. We examine the record of quasi-unions and find that although they have sometimes helped workers who lack other means of representation, they have significant limitations and are unlikely to replace unions as the primary means of representation. But networks, consisting of sets of diverse actors including unions and quasi-unions, are more promising. They have already shown power in specific campaigns, but they have yet to do so for more sustained strategies. By looking at analogous cases, we identify institutional bases for sustained networks, including shared information platforms, behavioural norms, common mission and governance mechanisms that go well beyond what now exists in labour alliances and campaigns. There are substantial resistances to these network institutions because of the history of fragmentation and autonomy among both unions and quasi-unions; yet we also identify positive potential for network formation. Copyright Blackwell Publishing Ltd/London School of Economics 2006.

Temporary migration projects and voting rights

“…Some developments in this area are however of particular interest for our discussion here. As pointed out by an emerging literature, the last two decades have seen a number of new organizations developing in response to precariousness in the labour market that aim at achieving better conditions and protections for migrant workers through a series of strategies including advocacy, organizing migrant workers and training on rights (Heckscher andCarré 2006, Martin et al 2007). Moreover, other migrant organizations that may not specifically identify as labour organizations have also been active in similar work, together with their more traditional role of service providers (Martin 2012) and advocates for a range of migrants' interests.…”

La rue, l’agence et le centre de travailleurs

“…Passant de seulement cinq en 1992 à 170 en 2009 (Fine et Gordon, 2009), ces « quasi-syndicats » (Heckscher et Carré, 2006) prennent des formes diverses et s'adressent à un large éventail de travailleurs précaires, des salariés de la restauration rapide aux conducteurs de taxis formellement indépendants en passant par les laveurs de voitures. Ils sont parfois ouverts à tous les travailleurs d'une zone géographique mais souvent marqués par une communauté ethnique donnée (ce qui revient au même dans les zones urbaines ségréguées).…”

Os múltiplos desafios da gestão de terceirizados: a experiência dos gestores de contratos

“…É consenso na literatura que, com o declínio desse modelo, particularmente a partir dos anos de 1980 nos países centrais e dos anos de 1990 em países em desenvolvimento como o Brasil, desencadeou-se um processo de reestruturação produtiva, caracterizado pelas inovações tecnológicas e organizacionais, tais como a horizontalização das empresas e a terceirização (ANTUNES, 1995;ANTUNES, 1999;CARVALHO NETO, 1997;DRUCK, 1999;HECKSCHER;CARRÉ, 2006;KOCHAN, 2006;LOCKE, 1999).…”