What happens to workers' representation when established unions see their central role in giving voice to workers diminish? This Special Issue takes up this pressing question by examining workers' representation confronting established trade unions and the new forms of organizing emerging in its wake. In addressing this question, the Special Issue advances the integration of industrial relations and social movement studies by bridging the gap between two fields that have historically developed in relative isolation. Contributions explore the transformations in workers' representation by assessing both the structural conditions driving change and the strategies workers and both established and grassroots unions deploy in response to shifting socioeconomic and political contexts. First, the articles highlight the diversity of actors involved in worker representation—from established unions to grassroots initiatives and social movement organizations—and show how they are redefining the union and organizational field. Second, they address challenges that emerge both within unions and in their broader environments. They shed light on the role of the contextual dimensions—including economic and political opportunities and constraints, and the institutional frameworks in which unions operate—as well as on their organizational dynamics, such as inter-union relationships involving cooperation, coalition building, and competition. They also highlight the role of individual actors, from workers' experiences to employers' strategic actions, in shaping contemporary forms of representation. Third, the contributions examine these dynamics across diverse sectors—ranging from male-dominated industries such as logistics and shipbuilding to female-dominated sectors such as care work—and across multiple European contexts, including Southern Europe, the Nordic countries, the UK, and Eastern Europe, where traditional models of representation are being renegotiated.
Workers’ representation: challenges within and outside trade unions. Introduction to the special issue
Marcello Pedaci;
2026-01-01
Abstract
What happens to workers' representation when established unions see their central role in giving voice to workers diminish? This Special Issue takes up this pressing question by examining workers' representation confronting established trade unions and the new forms of organizing emerging in its wake. In addressing this question, the Special Issue advances the integration of industrial relations and social movement studies by bridging the gap between two fields that have historically developed in relative isolation. Contributions explore the transformations in workers' representation by assessing both the structural conditions driving change and the strategies workers and both established and grassroots unions deploy in response to shifting socioeconomic and political contexts. First, the articles highlight the diversity of actors involved in worker representation—from established unions to grassroots initiatives and social movement organizations—and show how they are redefining the union and organizational field. Second, they address challenges that emerge both within unions and in their broader environments. They shed light on the role of the contextual dimensions—including economic and political opportunities and constraints, and the institutional frameworks in which unions operate—as well as on their organizational dynamics, such as inter-union relationships involving cooperation, coalition building, and competition. They also highlight the role of individual actors, from workers' experiences to employers' strategic actions, in shaping contemporary forms of representation. Third, the contributions examine these dynamics across diverse sectors—ranging from male-dominated industries such as logistics and shipbuilding to female-dominated sectors such as care work—and across multiple European contexts, including Southern Europe, the Nordic countries, the UK, and Eastern Europe, where traditional models of representation are being renegotiated.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
