ABSTRACT

This book is about the building of alliances and about joint activities between two groups of social movement actors ascribed increasing relevance for the functioning and the eventual amendment of democratic capitalism. The chapters provide a well-balanced mix of theoretical and empirical accounts on the political, social and economic catalysts behind the changing motives finding expression in a multitude of novel types of joint collective action and inter-organizational alliances. The contributors to this volume go beyond attempting to place unions, movements, crises, precariousness, protests and coalitions at the centre of the research. Instead, they focus on actors who themselves transcend clear-cut social camps. They look at the values and motives underlying collective action by both types of actors as much as at their structural and strategic properties, and inter-organizational relations and networks. This creates a fresh, genuine and historically valid account of the incompatibilities and the commonalities of movements and unions, and of prospects for inter-organizational learning.

chapter 5|27 pages

Social movements and trade unions in cross-movement counter-mobilization

A Polanyian view on social movement and trade union cooperation

chapter 6|19 pages

Social movement unionism

A toolkit of tactics or a strategic orientation? A critical assessment in the field of migrant workers campaigns

chapter 9|22 pages

Conflict, competition and collaboration in the realm of labour

Trade unions and precarious workers in Italy

chapter 10|17 pages

Trade unions in Greece

Protest and social movements in the context of austerity politics 1