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The trade union response to agency labour in Sweden

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  • Kristina Håkansson
  • Tommy Isidorsson

Abstract

This article explores the possibilities for temporary agency workers to gain union representation at workplace level. Using Heery's classification of four different union responses to agency work—Exclusion, Regulation, Replacement and Engagement—we found that, even though the union wishes to represent agency workers, there are institutional conditions obstructing them from succeeding.

Suggested Citation

  • Kristina Håkansson & Tommy Isidorsson, 2014. "The trade union response to agency labour in Sweden," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(1), pages 22-38, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:indrel:v:45:y:2014:i:1:p:22-38
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/irj.12040
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. René Böheim & Martina Zweimüller, 2013. "The Employment of Temporary Agency Workers in the UK : For or Against the Trade Unions?," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 80(317), pages 65-95, January.
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    4. René Böheim & Martina Zweimüller, 2009. "The employment of temporary agency workers in the UK – with or against the trade unions?," Economics working papers 2009-12, Department of Economics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria.
    5. Lars W. Mitlacher, 2007. "The Role of Temporary Agency Work in Different Industrial Relations Systems — a Comparison between Germany and the USA," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 45(3), pages 581-606, September.
    6. Salvatori, Andrea, 2009. "What Do Unions Do to Temporary Employment?," IZA Discussion Papers 4554, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Edmund Heery, 2009. "Trade unions and contingent labour: scale and method," Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 2(3), pages 429-442.
    8. Hajo Holst & Oliver Nachtwey & Klaus Doerre, 2010. "The Strategic Use of Temporary Agency Work – Functional Change of a Non-standard Form of Employment," International Journal of Action Research, Rainer Hampp Verlag, vol. 6(1), pages 108-138.
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    Cited by:

    1. Patrick McGovern, 2020. "In search of theory? The workplace case study tradition in the 21st century," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(3), pages 136-152, May.
    2. McGovern, Patrick, 2020. "In search of theory? The workplace case study tradition in the 21st century," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 103926, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

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