Trade Union Growth and Decline in Asia

Abstract

We examine trends in union density and union influence in several Asian countries. While we find considerable variation in union density across the countries in our sample, all of the labour movements in these countries experienced membership decline in the 1990s. Asian countries also varied on our union influence measure, although as a group, their scores were much lower than those of Western nations. We examine the pattern of union growth, decline, and influence in each country within the differing institutional context of unionism, using a "logics of action" framework. Based on our examination of how these institutional contexts are changing, and what we know about the strategies of unions, we are not hopeful regarding the near term prospects for reversing union decline. We examine trends in union density and union influence in several Asian countries While we find considerable variation in union density across the countries in our sample, all of the labour movements in these countries experienced membership decline in the 1990s. Asian countries also varied on our union influence measure, although as a group, their scores were much lower than those of Western nations. We examine the pattern of union growth, decline, and influence in each country within the differing institutional context of unionism, using a "logics of action" framework. Based on our examination of how these institutional contexts are changing, and what we know about the strategies of unions, we are not hopeful regarding the near term prospects for reversing union decline

Future research on human resource management systems in Asia

“…Research is needed on how it is evolving Factors contributing to the changing nature, management and employment relations in firms and other dominant business groups (chaebols, keiretsus) Verma et al (1995), Kuruvilla, Das, Kwon, and Kwon (2002), Frenkel and Peetz (1998), Debrah (2002), Hadiz (2002), Frenkel and Peetz (1998) The effects of globalization on employment relations systems. For example, the decline in union membership and employment security…”

“…Most countries of the region (like many others around the globe) experienced decline in the union membership (Kuruvilla, Das, Kwon, & Kwon, 2002). Changes in industrial relations in the Asian context due to globalization is also contributing to adjustment from previously salient constraint (labor peace and industrial stability) to the new imperative of enhancing firm-level competitiveness through both numerical and functional flexibility (Kuruvilla & Erickson, 2002).…”

The Role of Labour Standards in Shaping Migration: The ASEAN Perspectives

“…Higher trade union density rate reduces the bilateral migration flows, an opposite to the expectation and result in Model (2). The trade union density rate has a weak influence on migration flows, possibly due to weakening power of unions (Serrano 2005;Kuruvilla, Das, Kwon & Kwon 2002). Not only the developing countries have limited the activities of unions, participation of migrants in union activities are restricted even in developed countries.…”

Any Prospect for Trade Union Revitalisation in Nigeria through Democratisation and Democratic Leadership?

“…Kuruvilla, Das, Kwon and Kwon, (2002) concludes that though there were variations in union density, most of the countries examined experience decline. In Nigeria however, the level of membership remained relatively stable during the 1980s and 1990s despite the fact that the country was under a dictatorship (Tokunboh, 1985).…”