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Can solidarity be organized "from below" in global supply chains? The case of ExChains
[Kann Solidarität „von unten“ in globalen Zuliefererketten organisiert werden? Der Fall ExChains]

Author

Listed:
  • Lohmeyer, Nora
  • Schüßler, Elke
  • Helfen, Markus

Abstract

Global supply chains in the garment industry are marked by labour standard violations in factories as well as retail stores. Against this background it is important to strengthen the bargaining power of workers along the supply chain. Establishing direct relationships among workers along the supply chain could be one way to achieve this aim. This paper builds on extant literature on transnational solidarity and highlights the specific challenges of understanding solidarity in a transnational social space by looking at the empirical context of global garment supply chains. It hereby seeks to go beyond treating “solidarity” as a mere metaphor for any form of transnational union or worker cooperation, and instead engages with the cultural-normative dimensions of the concept as referring to mutual bonds among groups of workers. By looking at the case of the ExChains network, this paper examines some of the opportunities and challenges involved in establishing and maintaining transnational worker solidarity. The paper concludes by discussing the transformative potential, but also the limits of transnational labour solidarity regarding substandard working conditions in global supply chains.

Suggested Citation

  • Lohmeyer, Nora & Schüßler, Elke & Helfen, Markus, 2018. "Can solidarity be organized "from below" in global supply chains? The case of ExChains [Kann Solidarität „von unten“ in globalen Zuliefererketten organisiert werden? Der Fall ExChains]," Industrielle Beziehungen. Zeitschrift für Arbeit, Organisation und Management, Verlag Barbara Budrich, vol. 25(4), pages 400-424.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:indbez:227425
    DOI: 10.3224/indbez.v25i4.02
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    7. Chikako Oka, 2016. "Improving working conditions in garment supply chains: The role of unions in Cambodia," Post-Print hal-02952169, HAL.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Labor; coercive labor markets; labor discrimination; labor standards; Arbeit; Zwangsarbeit; Arbeitsdiskriminierung; Arbeitsbedingungen;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J47 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Coercive Labor Markets
    • J5 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining
    • J7 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination
    • J8 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Standards

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