Towards ‘multi-collar’ unionism: Cases of trespassing professionals in Norwegian industrial relations

Abstract

This article discusses the changes in workers’ identity as blue-collar or salaried staff with respect to changing work content due to new models of industrial systems. Within these new industrial models, traditional blue-collar work is moving into areas of work previously held solely by salaried staff. This article argues that the merging of work content will cause a process of identity-mergers, a process calling for increased collaboration between blue-collar unions on the one hand, and salaried staff unions on the other. Reporting on four company cases, the authors argue that this process is caused both by labour unions’ efforts to increase workers’ motivation in work, as well as by market demands generating new models of industrial production. The authors conclude that the models of industrial relations must change so as to encompass cross-union collaboration and the diversity of professions.

Development and implementation processes of digitalization in engineer-to-order manufacturing: enablers and barriers

“…For instance, we found that an extended collaboration with unions is an important way to elaborate shared trust in the development and implementation process of digitalization. The industrial relations in the case company follows the Norwegian industrial relations principles of high trust, low conflict, predictability, and it extends dialogue and the strength of the local level within both the multi-level collective bargaining system and the single-level system of unions representing workers on all organizational levels (Ravn and Øyum 2018). More specifically, the finding of shared trust is also supported by previous research demonstrating the importance of exchange of information between different participants, both horizontally (on the shop floor, across the entire process) and vertically (between different hierarchy levels) (Gröger et al 2013), of honesty about the aim of a digital intervention, and of providing workers with correct information (Lacueva-Pérez et al 2018).…”

Et kvalifisert utdanningsvalg for dagens ungdom: Resultater fra et innovasjons-samarbeid mellom en ungdomsskole, en videregående skole og en bedrift

“…Kompetansenivået i norsk arbeidsliv utgjør en viktig faktor i det som refereres til som "den norske modellen" (Levin et al, 2012;Ravn & Øyum, 2018). Vi ser allerede starten på et arbeidsliv preget av helt nye digitale teknologier, og vi vet at behovet blir stort for både organisatoriske og teknologiske innovasjoner for å levere produkter og tjenester hvor kunden og brukeren er tettere på verdikjedene.…”

"From terrible teen to terrific trainee": Norwegian cases of innovative workplace-school collaboration to educate young people to become skilled workers in modern manufacturing industry

“…Because companies rely on skilled workers in high-tech manufacturing, workplace practices centred on employee participation are assumed to pay off. Ravn and Øyum (2018) argue that new modes of manufacturing operation result in traditional blue-collar work moving into areas of work previously held solely by salaried staff. Consequently, within this context the educational system for vocational education must offer a curriculum reflecting the organisation of modern manufacturing production lines.…”

“…Merging competence requirement for future industrial excellence Ravn and Øyum (2018) argue that, in new industrial models, traditional blue-collar work is moving into areas of work previously held solely by salaried staff, and that a merging of work content will cause a process of identitymergers. From the competence requirements discussed in chapter 2 and demonstrated in the discussion of findings related to case 1 and 2 above, we may also argue that there is a competence-merger between blue-collar workers on the one hand, and technical staff on the other.…”