Where are the unions? : workers and social movements in Latin America, the Middle East and Europe / edited by Sian Lazar.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Lazar, Sian, editor.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Labor unions--Political activity--Latin America.

Labor unions.

Working class--Political activity--Latin America.

Working class.

Labor unions--Political activity--Middle East.

Working class--Political activity--Middle East.

Labor unions--Political activity--Europe.

Working class--Political activity--Europe.

Working class--Political activity.

Labor unions--Political activity.

Europe.

Middle East.

Latin America.

Physical Description:

283 pages ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

London : Zed Books, 2017.

Summary:

The start of the 21st Century has been marked by global demands for economic justice. From the wave that swept through Latin America in the early 2000s, and the Arab revolutions from 2011, to the Occupy and anti-austerity movements in Europe and North America, the last 20 years have witnessed the birth of a new type of mass mobilisation. 'Where are the Unions?' compares, for the first time, the challenges faced by movements in Latin America, the Arab world and Europe. Workers' strikes and protests played a critical role in these mass movements, yet their role is significantly underestimated in many narratives of these events. This book focuses on the complex interactions between organised workers, the unemployed, self-employed, youth, students and the state, and critically assesses the concept of the 'precariat'. With contributions from across four continents, this is the most comprehensive look at the global context of mass mobilisation in the 21st Century.

Contents:

Part 1 Labour Movements, Society and the State

1 The Egyptian workers' movement: problems of organization and politics / Anne Alexander Alexander, Anne, Mostafa Bassiouny Bassiouny, Mostafa 25

2 From the grassroots to the presidential palace: Evo Morales and the coca growers' union in Bolivia / Thomas Grisaffi Grisaffi, Thomas 44

3 The labour union movement and 'alternative' culture in Tunisia: the long view of a close relationship / Mohamed-Salah Omri Omri, Mohamed-Salah 64

Part 2 Identity and Precarity

4 Migrants' struggles? Rethinking citizenship, anti-racism and labour precarity through migration politics in Italy / Irene Peano Peano, Irene 87

5 The Spanish crisis: from complacency to unrest, from unrest to mobilisation / Salvador Martí i Puig Puig, Salvador Martí i, Marco Aparicio Wilhelmi Wilhelmi, Marco Aparicio 107

6 What are the possible strategies for the emergence of a democratic and revolutionary labour movement in Lebanon? / Walid Daou Daou, Walid 128

7 'To struggle is also to teach': how can teachers and teaching unions further the global fight for another world? / Mary Compton Compton, Mary 144

Part 3 Rank and File Challenges to Traditional Unionism

8 'Ungrievable' labour and 'unruly' politics: NGOs, workers' rights, and the 2013-2014 protests in Brazil / Lucy McMahon McMahon, Lucy 167

9 The experience of grassroots syndicalism in Greece: workplace restructuring and the role of traditional trade unions in the tertiary sector / Aris Anagnostopoulos Anagnostopoulos, Aris, Angelos Evangelinidis Evangelinidis, Angelos 187

10 Dilemmas of trade unionism and the movement of the unemployed under neoliberal and progressive regimes in Argentina / Virginia Manzano Manzano, Virginia 209

11 From invisible to invincible: the story of the 3 Cosas Campaign / Jason Moyer-Lee Moyer-Lee, Jason, Henry Change Lopez Lopez, Henry Change 231.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781783609895

9781783609901

1783609907

1783609893

OCLC:

963589334

Publisher Number:

99971682337