It is widely assumed that workers whose labour market situation is insecure are likely to be individualistic, with negative attitudes towards trade unionism. This article uses Spain as a critical case to test the effects of labour market flexibility. Survey data reveal that, in fact, the attitudes of insecure workers towards trade unionism and mobilization at work are more positive than those of stable employees, and they are more critical of the prevailing economic system. These results are discussed within the framework of current debates on the crisis of trade unionism and the effects of flexibility in industrial relations.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Alonso, L.E. (1999) Trabajo y ciudadanía. Madrid: Trotta .
2.
Bell, D. (1973) The Coming of Post-Industrial Society. New York: Basic Books .
3.
Bilbao, A. (1993) Obreros y ciudadanos. La desestructuración de la clase obrera. Madrid: Trotta .
4.
Bilbao, A. (1999) El empleo precario. Madrid: Los Libros de la Catarata .
5.
Bild, T. and Jorgensen, H. (1998) `Do Unions Have a Future?' , Acta Sociologica41(3): 195-208 .
6.
Boix, C. (1996) Partidos políticos, crecimiento e igualdad. Madrid: Alianza .
7.
Doeringer, P.B. and Piore, M.J. (1985) Internal Labor Markets and Manpower Analysis. New York: M.E. Sharpe .
8.
Dunn, R.G. (1998) Identity Crises: A Social Critique of Postmodernity. Minneapolis: University of Minneapolis Press .
9.
Felstead, A. and Jewson, N. (1999) `Flexible Labour and Non-Standard Employment: An Agenda of Issues', in A. Felstead and N. Jewson (eds) Global Trends in Flexible Labour, pp. 1-20. London: Macmillan .
10.
Ferner, A. and Hyman, R. (1998) `Towards European Industrial Relations?', in A. Ferner and R. Hyman (eds) Changing Industrial Relations in Europe, pp. xi-xxvi. Oxford: Blackwell .
11.
Heery, E. and Salmon, J. (2000) `The Insecurity Thesis', in E. Heery and J. Salmon (eds) The Insecure Workforce, pp. 1-38. London: Routledge .
12.
Hyman, R. (1999) `An Emerging Agenda for Trade Unions?' International Institute for Labour Studies Working Paper, Geneva.
13.
Jimeno, J. and Toharia, L. (1994) Unemployment and Labour Market Flexibility: Spain. Geneva: ILO .
14.
Jordan, T. (1994) Reinventing Revolution. London: Avebury .
15.
Kjellberg, A. (2000) `The Multitude of Challenges Facing Swedish Trade Unions', in J. Waddington and R. Hoffman (eds) Trade Unions in Europe. Facing Challenges and Searching for Solutions, pp. 529-573. Brussels: ETUI .
16.
Lash, S. and Urry, J. (1987) The End of Organized Capitalism. London: Blackwell .
17.
Martínez Lucio, M. (1992) `Spain: Constructing Institutions and Actors in a Context of Change', in A. Ferner and R. Hyman (eds) Industrial Relations in the New Europe, pp. 482-528. Oxford: Blackwell .
18.
Martínez Lucio, M. and Blyton, P. (1995) `Constructing the Post-Fordist State? The Politics of Labour Market Flexibility in Spain' , West European Politics18: 340-360 .
19.
Miguélez Lobo, F. (2000) `The Modernization of Trade Unions in Spain', in J. Waddington and R. Hoffman (eds) Trade Unions in Europe. Facing Challenges and Searching for Solutions, pp. 499-528. Brussels: ETUI .
20.
Muñoz de Bustillo Llorente, R. (2002) `Spain and the Neoliberal Paradigm'. Center for Economic Policy Analysis Working Paper, New York.
21.
Piore, M.J. (1980) `Dualism as a Response to Flux and Uncertainty', in M.J. Piore and S. Berger (eds) Dualism and Discontinuity in Industrial Societies, pp. 23-54. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press .
22.
Polavieja, J.G. (2001) `Labour Market Dualisation and Trade Union Involvement in Spain', in G. Van Gyes, H. De Witte and P. Pasture (eds) Can Class Still Unite?, pp. 129-169. London: Avebury .
23.
Richards, A. and Polavieja, J.G. (1997) `Trade Unions, Unemployment and Working Class Fragmentation in Spain'. Juan March Institute Working Paper 1997/112, Madrid.
24.
Rubery, J. (1988) `Structured Labour Markets, Worker Organizations and Low Pay', in A. Giddens and D. Held (eds) Classes, Power and Conflict, pp. 330-348. London: Macmillan .
25.
Taboadela, O. (1993) `La afiliación sindical'. Ph.D. thesis, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid.
26.
Thirkell, J. and Vickerstaff, S. (1999) `Trade Unions and the Politics of Transformation in Central and East Europe' . Paper presented to the ESRC seminar Restructuring Employment and Work in East-Central Europe, Sussex.
27.
Thompson, E.P. (1967) The Making of the English Working Class. London: Penguin .
28.
Van Gyes, G., De Witte, H. and Van Der Hallen, P. (2000) `Belgian Trade Unions in the 1990s: Does Strong Today Mean Strong Tomorrow?', in J. Waddington and R. Hoffman (eds) Trade Unions in Europe. Facing Challenges and Searching for Solutions, pp. 105-143. Brussels: ETUI .
29.
Waddington, J. (2000) `Recovering from the Neo-Liberal Assault?', in J. Waddington and R. Hoffman (eds) Trade Unions in Europe. Facing Challenges and Searching for Solutions, pp. 575-627. Brussels: ETUI .
30.
Yin, R.K. (1994) Case Study Research. Design and Methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage .
