‘Justice for Janitors' goes Dutch: the limits and possibilities of unions' adoption of organizing in a context of regulated social partnership
Connolly, Heather ; Marino, Stefania ; Martínez Lucìo, Miguel
2017
31
2
April
319-335
cleaning ; labour relations ; social partners ; trade union
Labour relations
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0950017016677943
English
Bibliogr.
"Organizing has been adopted as a strategy for union renewal in the Netherlands, where the dominant repertoire has been consensus-based social dialogue. Certain Dutch unions have developed strategies inspired by the US ‘organizing model' and have been relatively successful in recruiting and mobilizing under-represented workers. Despite some tensions emerging, the introduction of organizing resulted in the greater representation of workers in sectors such as cleaning, which has to an extent complemented social dialogue-based strategies. At the same time, the narrative and tactics of organizing have stimulated internal debate on union purpose and identity and indirectly contributed to a process of reform and democratization within parts of the union movement. The research demonstrates the pragmatic features of organizing as a strategy for union renewal in a context of regulated social partnership, but also points towards the potential for organizing to encourage shifts in the dominant sources of union legitimacy and power."
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