Transnational Labour Solidarity. Mechanisms of Commitment to Cooperation within the European Trade Union Movement

摘要

Most accounts of attempts at cooperation between trade unions of different countries highlight the formidable obstacles that stand in its way. Aside from the practical difficulties (lack of resources at transnational level, differences in national structures and practices), class solidarity is theorised as being constrained by territorial competition. Wolfgang Streeck's idea of 'competitive solidarity' is particularly influential: he argues that the dominance of market relations means that solidarity (in the EU context at least) follows the rules of capitalism, leading to location competition and lack of cooperation. Gajewska's book offers a refreshingly different perspective, based on four case studies which are deliberately chosen to offer insights into why unions choose to cooperate, in some cases at least.