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Chinese multinationals: Threat to, or opportunity for, trade unions? The case of Sinohydro in Ghana

Author

Listed:
  • Williams, Glynne
  • Davies, Steve
  • Lamptey, Julius
  • Tetteh, Jonathan

Abstract

There is a growing literature on global Chinese companies, but this tends to be at a very general level. There is little research to date on the effect of Chinese involvement on workers and their unions. Although focussed on one company, SINOHYDRO, this paper addresses questions of importance to construction unions globally: What is the impact of growing Chinese MNC involvement and how should unions respond? This paper puts the experience of workers at SINOHYDRO in Ghana into perspective and argues that: there is value in standardising and formalising industrial relations practices in MNCs through an International Framework Agreement; without workplace militancy and solidarity there is little chance of progress in bargaining; it is important that guidance and best practice notes on public sector contract compliance are available to unions at a local level; greater co-ordination and co-operation between the various levels of the union movement is essential; and despite their reputation for anti-union behaviour, in certain situations Chinese companies are prepared to recognise unions and enter into dialogue with workers' representatives at workplace level.

Suggested Citation

  • Williams, Glynne & Davies, Steve & Lamptey, Julius & Tetteh, Jonathan, 2017. "Chinese multinationals: Threat to, or opportunity for, trade unions? The case of Sinohydro in Ghana," GLU Working Papers 46, Global Labour University (GLU).
  • Handle: RePEc:zbw:gluwps:189833
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    File URL: https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/189833/1/GLU-WP-No46.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Chang-Hee Lee & William Brown & Xiaoyi Wen, 2016. "What Sort of Collective Bargaining Is Emerging in China?," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 54(1), pages 214-236, March.
    2. Peter Nolan, 2012. "Is China Buying the World?," Challenge, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(2), pages 108-118.
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    Cited by:

    1. Gross, Tandiwe & Kharate, Amar, 2017. "Organizing the invisible: Strategies of informal garment workers in Mumbai," GLU Working Papers 47, Global Labour University (GLU).
    2. Mashilo, Alex Mohubetswane, 2019. "Auto production in South Africa and components manufacturing in Gauteng Province," GLU Working Papers 58, Global Labour University (GLU).
    3. Xhafa, Edlira, 2019. "Organising against all odds: Precarious workers as "actors and authors of their own drama"," GLU Working Papers 55, Global Labour University (GLU).
    4. Aye, Baba, 2017. "NUPENGASSAN and the struggle against precarious work in the Nigerian oil and gas industry," GLU Working Papers 50, Global Labour University (GLU).
    5. Herr, Hansjörg & Nettekoven, Zeynep Mualla, 2018. "The role of small and medium-sized enterprises in development: What can be learned from the German experience?," GLU Working Papers 53, Global Labour University (GLU).
    6. Certeza, Ramon A., 2018. "The PALEA struggle against outsourcing and contractualization in the airline industry in the Philippines," GLU Working Papers 52, Global Labour University (GLU).

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