Union Structure and Organizing Strategies: What the Research Tells Us

1st TURI Network ConferenceThe Future of Trade Union Structures and Strategies

European Trade Union Institute, Brussels 14 October 2008

Gregor MurraySchool of Industrial Relations, Université de Montréal

Canada Research Chair on Globalization and Work

CRIMT - Interuniversity Research Centre

on Globalization and Work (www.crimt.org)

Two Types of Argument on Overarching Trends

I. Impediments to best practice = develop best practice, educate around these practices, strategize and harmonize those practices and overcome certain cultural and political obstacles

II. More fundamental incapacity = deep structural change requires new organizational forms: some versions have seen the future, others await its emergence out of struggle or democratic experimentalism

I. Impediments to Innovation

A. Political/institutional impediments

B. Economic impediments: union-wage effects

C. Strategic impediments: service blend & techniques

D. Structural impediments: mergers, service mix, best practice organizing

E. Cultural impediments: internal culture, generational skill sets, gender & racial mismatch

II. Fundamental Incapacity

A. Strategic: using leverage points

B. Structural: emerging structural forms versus grounded local innovation

C. Moral, ideological, capability: social visions, representative capacity, new capabilities and sources of power

Conclusions

1. Deep structural change arguments are more compelling but challenging

2. Priority on thinking about innovation: how structures can empower activist innovation

3. Focus on developing capabilities

4. Importance of experimental pedagogy on these issues

5. Role of research network on these issues