Organising and mobilising Central and Eastern European migrant women working in care. A case study of a successful care workers’ strike in Switzerland in 2014

Abstract

This article analyses the experience of Unia, the largest Swiss trade union, in organising Central and Eastern European (CEE) migrant workers in the context of the female workers’ strike that took place in 2014 at Primula, a small care company in Switzerland. The article argues that it is crucial to take into consideration the mobilisation potential of female workers from Central and Eastern Europe and that, combined with adequate support from the union, this could become a powerful tool for advancing their rights. Moreover, their mobilisation potential and collective agency, if properly channelled by trade unions, could also be deployed for the benefit of local workers. Finally, the article suggests that western European trade unions may want to reconsider their approach to organising Central and Eastern European women migrants and recognise their potential for active involvement in the union.