Citizenship at work. A guiding principle for social and trade union policy

Abstract

In the fraught relationship between capitalist economy and political democracy, the latter often comes off second best. Have we come to accept that democracy ends at the factory gates? This article argues the contrary – that there are reasons enough today to establish and enforce the status of citizenship for employees at work. Today’s working people have such diverse personal circumstances and working conditions that only their status as ‘citizens’ gives them a common social bond that fosters solidarity. The demand for ‘reconciliation’ of work and life outside of work is now being formulated more radically: namely that people should not remain objects of economic authority, but instead that labour relations should be remodelled according to human needs. Citizenship at work is a step towards the democratic humanization of working life. Individual citizen rights are not a substitute for collective employee participation, but give it an indispensable foundation. This article traces the development of the concept of citizenship at work and outlines its prospects of becoming a reality. It draws on progressive democratic and republican values and impulses for change and sets them against a still often autocratic corporate culture.