The emergent enterprise union? A conceptual and comparative analysis

Abstract

This article argues that there is a trend towards enterprise unionism in a number of countries. The authors begin by defining enterprise unionism and developing a framework of analysis in terms of activities, governance, and resources. Utilizing this framework, six countries – Japan, US, France, Germany, UK and Australia – are examined. The trend towards enterprise unionism is best seen in terms of collective bargaining and joint consultation. The authors then consider various explanations for this tendency, including unions and their members, the state, and employers in their market context. This is followed by a discussion of the implications, which may be drawn, and the research gaps, which need to be filled.

Keywords:

• enterprise unions
• comparative unionism
• collective bargaining
• union governance
• union resources
• member identification

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank W. Brown and R. Locke for early comments on the framework. In addition, the following gave us more detailed comments on particular countries: S. Jacoby and G. Strauss on the US; D. Metcalf on the UK; M. Fichter, H. Tuselman, N.E. Wergin and S. Zagelmeyer on Germany; D. Andolfatto, G. Groux, C. Howell, S. Jefferys, A. Jenkins and N. Parsons on France; S. Deery on Australia; and T. Inagami and M. Sako on Japan.