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Full-Text Articles in Labor Relations

Voice Without Say: Why Capital-Managed Firms Aren’T (Genuinely) Participatory, Justin Schwartz Aug 2013

Voice Without Say: Why Capital-Managed Firms Aren’T (Genuinely) Participatory, Justin Schwartz

Justin Schwartz

Why are most capitalist enterprises of any size organized as authoritarian bureaucracies rather than incorporating genuine employee participation that would give the workers real authority? Even firms with employee participation programs leave virtually all decision-making power in the hands of management. The standard answer is that hierarchy is more economically efficient than any sort of genuine participation, so that participatory firms would be less productive and lose out to more traditional competitors. This answer is indefensible. After surveying the history, legal status, and varieties of employee participation, I examine and reject as question-begging the argument that the rarity of genuine …


A Theory Without A Movement, A Hope Without A Name: The Future Of Marxism In A Post-Marxist World, Justin Schwartz Jun 2013

A Theory Without A Movement, A Hope Without A Name: The Future Of Marxism In A Post-Marxist World, Justin Schwartz

Justin Schwartz

Just as Marx's insights into capitalism have been most strikingly vindicated by the rise of neoliberalism and the near-collapse of the world economy, Marxism as social movement has become bereft of support. Is there any point in people who find Marx's analysis useful in clinging to the term "Marxism" - which Marx himself rejected -- at time when self-identified Marxist organizations and societies have collapsed or renounced the identification, and Marxism own working class constituency rejects the term? I set aside bad reasons to give on "Marxism," such as that the theory is purportedly refuted, that its adoption leads necessarily …


Wage Regulation In The Private Sector In Europe, Maarten Keune, Kurt Vandaele Jan 2013

Wage Regulation In The Private Sector In Europe, Maarten Keune, Kurt Vandaele

Kurt Vandaele

No abstract provided.


Annexe: Les Jours De Grèves En 2010 Et 2011, Kurt Vandaele Jan 2013

Annexe: Les Jours De Grèves En 2010 Et 2011, Kurt Vandaele

Kurt Vandaele

Le Groupe d’analyse des conflits sociaux (GRACOS) est un collectif interdisciplinaire ayant pour objectif l’étude des principaux mouvements de grève et autres éléments de la conflictualité sociale qui jalonnent l’actualité de chaque année civile. Il se compose actuellement de dix chercheurs : A. Bingen, M. Capron, V. Demertzis, F. Dorssemont, A. Dufresne, J. Faniel, C. Gobin, E. Martinez, K. Vandaele et J. Vandewattyne. Dans le second de ses deux volumes sur l’année 2012, le GRACOS se penche tout d’abord sur divers événements représentatifs de l’évolution de la conflictualité sociale dans le secteur public. Trois domaines sont abordés : les transports …


Union Responses To Young Workers Since The Great Recession In Ireland, The Netherlands And Sweden: Are Youth Structures Re-Orienting The Union Agenda?, Kurt Vandaele Jan 2013

Union Responses To Young Workers Since The Great Recession In Ireland, The Netherlands And Sweden: Are Youth Structures Re-Orienting The Union Agenda?, Kurt Vandaele

Kurt Vandaele

This article analyses how youth structures at the confederal level of trade unions are influencing the union agenda in the face of the growing problem of youth unemployment in Europe. Five youth structures from union confederations in Ireland, the Netherlands and Sweden have been studied. Although youth structures were already able to influence the union agenda in certain confederations before the crisis, the evidence demonstrates that youth issues have gained prominence today. A particular pattern discernible across countries is coalition-building between youth structures and student organizations for guiding the transition of the next generation of young workers from school to …


Workers’ Rights, Worker Mobilisation And Workers’ Voice, Stefan Clauwaert, Aline Hoffmann, Romuald Jagodzinski, Isabelle Schömann, Michael Stollt, Kurt Vandaele Jan 2013

Workers’ Rights, Worker Mobilisation And Workers’ Voice, Stefan Clauwaert, Aline Hoffmann, Romuald Jagodzinski, Isabelle Schömann, Michael Stollt, Kurt Vandaele

Kurt Vandaele

In his address to the European Parliament on 14 September 2011, ILO Director-General Juan Somovia declared that ‘respect for fundamental principles and rights at work is non-negotiable: not even in times of crisis when questions of fairness abound. This is particularly important in countries having to adopt austerity measures. We cannot use the crisis as an excuse to disregard internationally agreed labour standards.’ This warning is cleary not being heeded. As will be elaborated in the first section of this chapter, the labour reforms proposed or initiated by the EU and the Troika have indeed had detrimental effects on workers’ …