Unions and the Restructuring of Work: Contrasting Experiences in the Old and New Heartlands

Abstract

Unions face a major challenge in renewing ideology and strategy. The organising model is a long-overdue response to the atrophy in union infrastructure but it is also limited because it is a technical fix. In considering how unions might develop an ideology that not only organises but also resonates with today s workers, we examine the contrasting experiences of the two heartland unions—the metalworkers and the Victorian nurses. Our conclusion is that the campaigns of the nurses around sustainability and work intensification offer a promising lead.