Transnational Trade Union Action in Europe

ABSTRACT

Research on European trade unionism has discussed whether the tendency towards ‘union diplomacy’ has meant that that unions are largely disinterested in mobilizing members and pursue contentious action at the European level. Other studies have identified activities that suggest an Europeanization of political mobilization, in demonstrations and strikes and in cooperation with NGOs and social movements. The present paper analyzes attitudes towards transnational action among trade unions in Europe, as well as the degree to which national unions actually partake in more and less contentious action. The study, which is based on a survey to trade unions in Europe carried out in 2010–11 (n 250), focuses particularly on the production of joint statements and petitions, demonstrations and boycotts, and strikes. The aim was to identify the similarities and differences between industrial relations regimes and sectors in Europe and the analyses have revealed that there are in fact significant differences. Trade unions in the continental social partnership regime and the southern polarized/state centered regime tend to approve of and partake in European demonstrations and boycotts to a higher degree than unions in the other regimes, while the Nordic unions in the organized corporatist regime tend to be more skeptical and also participate to a lower degree. In addition, unions in services and organizing professionals tend to partake and approve of such action to a lower degree than unions in other sectors and national peak level unions.

Key words:

• industrial relations
• demonstrations
• strikes
• trade unions
• Europe

Acknowledgements

The research on which this article is based was funded by the Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research. The author would like to thank Mattias Bengtsson, Bengt Furåker, Kristina Lovén Seldén, and the anonymous reviewer for helpful comments on previous versions. The author is grateful also to Maria Jepsen, Vera Glassner, and Kurt Vandaele at the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) as well as to Roland Janssen at the ETUC for constructive comments on the questionnaire.

Notes

1. These have recently been renamed as European Trade Union Federations (ETUFs). Since this renaming took place after the survey data was collected, I have chosen to use the previous term, EIFs.

2. These sections are mainly based on information and documents from the webpages of the ETUC and the EIFs.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Bengt Larsson

Bengt Larsson is Professor of Sociology at the Department of Sociology and Work Science, University of Gothenburg, Box 720 SE 405 30 Göteborg, Sweden. E-mail: [email protected]. His research interests are in the fields of economic sociology and welfare: auditing, trust, economic crime, consumption and over-indebtedness, and trade union cooperation in Europe.