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Abstract

This article suggests that the bad times may be over for European trade unionism, and that Italy's trade unions look well placed to lead a possible renaissance.

The traditional union member - a male manual worker with a secure job - remains a vanishing breed; but the new-style flexible workforce still needs the protection and the services that unions can provide.

A more pragmatic, less ideological approach by unions may persuade this workforce that union membership has something to offer. It may also persuade managers that if they want to compete on quality, rather than just cost, unions can play a role in stimulating workers' involvement in the company.

Italy's unions take this kind of approach. They operate in a system with a strong sense of social partnership, but no tight regulatory framework. Bargaining is local, intense, and gets results. Other countries please copy?

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Italian trade unionism in the 1990s in the European context

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