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Direct democracy and trade union action

Author

Listed:
  • Roland Erne

    (Jean Monnet Chair of European Integration and Employment Relations, UCD School of Business and Geary Institute for Public Policy, University College Dublin, Ireland)

  • Markus Blaser

    (Historian and Journalist, Florence, Italy)

Abstract

Until recently, the political influence of trade unions primarily relied on ties to labour-friendly political parties. Since the 1990s, however, party-union relations have deteriorated, forcing unions to consider complementary political strategies. This article reviews different direct democratic instruments at local, national and EU levels. We distinguish popular consultations initiated by government from above from citizens’ initiatives initiated from below and discuss corresponding trade union experiences in Germany, Italy, Ireland, Slovenia and Switzerland. We also analyse the successful right2water European Citizens Initiative (ECI) of the European Federation of Public Service Unions and the failed fair transport ECI of the European Transport Workers’ Federation at EU level. Whereas unions have successfully used direct democratic instruments to (i) defend social achievements or (ii) as a lever to extract policy concessions, direct democracy is also challenging. Successful direct democratic campaigns require unions that are able to mobilise their own rank-and-file and to inspire larger sections of society.

Suggested Citation

  • Roland Erne & Markus Blaser, 2018. "Direct democracy and trade union action," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 24(2), pages 217-232, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:treure:v:24:y:2018:i:2:p:217-232
    DOI: 10.1177/1024258918764079
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    6. Amable, Bruno, 2017. "Structural Crisis and Institutional Change in Modern Capitalism: French Capitalism in Transition," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198787815.
    7. Élodie Béthoux & Roland Erne & Darragh Golden, 2018. "A Primordial Attachment to the Nation? French and Irish Workers and Trade Unions in Past EU Referendum Debates," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 56(3), pages 656-678, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Aurora Trif & Imre G Szabó, 2023. "Where to find power resources under a hostile government? The prospects for trade union revitalization after the loss of institutional resources in Hungary and Romania," European Journal of Industrial Relations, , vol. 29(1), pages 25-42, March.
    2. Torsten Müller & Hans-Wolfgang Platzer, 2020. "The European Trade Union Federations within the European polity: ETUFs and international trade union activity," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 26(3), pages 289-305, August.

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