Marc-Antonin Hennebert

The transnationalization of trade union action within multinational corporations: A comparative perspective

This article is based on two case studies and an empirical body of data that includes more than 100 interviews with union officials in various countries; it examines how collective union action is constructed within cross-border union alliances. Drawing on three lines of analysis, each grounded in a theory of collective action, it shows that, although the parties involved have invested considerable resources, the long-term presence of key players capable of carrying out framing duties can be a decisive factor in the development of collective action. The article also underlines how important it is for the unions involved to define a mobilizing joint project that can help develop a common sense of belonging. The findings in the two cases are uneven, and the article therefore also highlights one of the main weaknesses of cross-border alliances, namely the fact that they are dependent on stable organizational structures in the multinational corporations.

Os acordos-marco internacionais e as alianças sindicais internacionais: instrumentos de uma necessária transnacionalização da militância sindical

Diante da multiplicacao atual dos instrumentos de responsabilidade social empresarial (RSE), o dispositivo frequentemente considerado mais avancado em materia de defesa dos direitos dos trabalhadores consiste na negociacao e na assinatura de acordos-marco internacionais (AMIs). Esses acordos, assinados conjuntamente por uma federacao sindical internacional e pela direcao de uma empresa multinacional, buscam garantir o reconhecimento de certos direitos sociais fundamentais em todas as operacoes de uma empresa em âmbito internacional. Baseado na analise dos casos de duas empresas norte-americanas que ratificaram AMIs, este artigo procura evidenciar a contribuicao desse instrumento para a regulacao social das multinacionais e esclarecer as condicoes de sua efetividade, assim como seus limites. Ambos os casos demonstram que a utilidade desses acordos repousa, acima de tudo, no modo como os atores sindicais se apropriam desse instrumento. Por fim, nosso estudo salienta a importância das aliancas ou coalizoes internacionais entre os representantes sindicais de uma mesma multinacional para acompanhar os acordos e lhes dar um sentido pratico em sua realidade local.

Relative influence of authentic and transformational leadership of local union representatives on the adoption of union citizenship behaviors

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the different mediating processes by which authentic leadership and transformational leadership on the part of local union representatives influence members’ union citizenship behaviors (UCB) (i.e. UCBO and UCBI). Drawing from the social learning perspective, the authors suggest that authentic and transformational forms of leadership are associated with UCB through specific mechanisms i.e. member-representative value congruence and members’ collectivist orientation, respectively. Design/methodology/approach This research adopts a cross-sectional design. Structural equation modeling and bootstrap analysis were used to test the hypotheses among 343 members of a Canadian union federation representing professionals in the education sector. Findings The results show that the influence of authentic leadership on UCB is explained through value congruence and the influence of transformational leadership is principally exerted through members’ collectivist orientation. Practical implications By enhancing the understanding of the behavioral manifestations of local union leadership and its influential mechanisms, this research offers interesting avenues for union organizations that wish to develop and implement leadership training programs at the local level. Originality/value Only a handful of studies have investigated the relational antecedents of UCB, such as leadership. This research thus contributes to the UCB literature by extending the spectrum of examined local union leaders’ behaviors.

Are strikes still a tool for union action? A qualitative investigation into the private sector in Quebec, Canada:

Based on an empirical study conducted with union representatives working in the private sector in Quebec (Canada), this article analyses how union representatives perceive strikes. The analysis of the interviews primarily shows that union representatives have strongly integrated the current constraints related to striking, whether they be of an economic, institutional or organizational nature or relating to the dynamics of mobilization involved therein. Second, it emphasizes that, in spite of the union representatives’ more ambiguous relationship with striking, strikes are still an important tool in the repertoire of union action. Lastly, it highlights the various changes in the way this union practice is implemented.