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Spheres of collectivism: Group action and perspectives on trade unions among the low-paid unorganized with problems at work

Pollert, Anna

Authors

Anna Pollert



Abstract

Drawing on a 2004 survey of 501 low-paid, non-unionized workers with problems at work, this paper explores the types of difficulties encountered and responses to these, including expressions of collectivism. It finds that not only did most workers take action to resolve their problems, but a quarter did so collectively. However, such spontaneous collectivism did not develop into effective mobilization of power. The paper also explores workers’ views on trade unions. While most workers were broadly pro-union, this was no more likely among those who attempted collective resolutions than it was among others. The relationship between collectivism in consciousness, and action and positive attitudes to union representation, remains as complex a problem among today’s unorganized workers as ethnographic studies demonstrated several decades ago. © 2010, SAGE Publications. All rights reserved.

Citation

Pollert, A. (2010). Spheres of collectivism: Group action and perspectives on trade unions among the low-paid unorganized with problems at work. Capital and Class, 34(1), 115-125. https://doi.org/10.1177/0309816809353496

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Jan 1, 2010
Journal Capital & Class
Print ISSN 0309-8168
Publisher SAGE Publications
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 34
Issue 1
Pages 115-125
DOI https://doi.org/10.1177/0309816809353496
Keywords trade unions, employees, workplace
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/987658
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0309816809353496




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