ABSTRACT
Trade unionism implies solidarity. This solidarity is more or less broad and deep, even disinterested, depending on the situation. It can go as far as ignoring national borders in the name of proletarian universalism, as was seen in particular in the early decades of the last century (Fleury & Maire 2002: 51-69). More prosaically, among the objectives of some large trade unions established in Canada is that of “work[ing] for better economic and social conditions in Canada and the world,” (Constitution of the National Automobile, Aerospace, Transportation and General Workers Union of Canada (CAW-Canada)1 Art. 2(5)) or “provid[ing] fi nancial and other aid and assistance to labour and other organizations in the United States, Canada and other parts of the world” (Constitution of United Steelworkers of America: s. II).2 However, in this contemporary era of globalization, the solidarity behaviours and actions of employees in various countries appear to be essentially attached to the activity of transnational fi rms (TNFs). The solidarity expressed by employees in a national constituent of a TNF is thus aimed at building, along with employees in other national constituents, a lasting counterweight to the TNF’s economic power; it can also have more immediate and self-interested objectives.
