Michael Fichter

Employment relations in global production networks: Initiating transfer of practices via union involvement

International Framework Agreements (IFAs) represent a still small but growing and particularly interesting contribution to the global regulation of employment relations. IFAs enable global union federations (GUFs) to become actively involved in co-designing employment relations within transnational corporations (TNCs) and their global production networks. Based upon theoretical insights into the challenges of transferring practices in and across organizations, we present and discuss a model of practice transfer for global production networks based on empirical data from a content analysis of IFAs and from interviews with representatives of TNCs, GUFs, and other experts. Our study contributes to an organizational theory of practice transfer. But more importantly, it aims at a better integration of IHRM and international industrial relations by looking more closely at the particular role of GUFs as external actors.

The Complexity of Relocation and the Diversity of Trade Union Responses: Efficiency-oriented Foreign Direct Investment in Central Europe

Relocations within an enlarged Europe are often portrayed as an unavoidable destiny or irresistible threat for workers. The article outlines a number of contingent factors which determine how serious are the threats and how feasible is an effective union response. Such factors are then tested through in-depth case studies of 12 plants in the automotive components sector (where cross-border competition is particularly strong), showing how varied can be the scenarios for industrial relations in multinational companies.

Building Transnational Union Networks across Global Production Networks: Conceptualising a New Arena of Labour–Management Relations

Academic interest in Global Framework Agreements (GFAs) has grown considerably over the past several years, but the focus has largely been limited to comparing their various clauses and provisions. More recent research has centred on case studies of their implementation. In this article, we move beyond an exclusive analysis of GFAs to a broader conceptualization of steps towards globalizing labour relations, in which GFAs are fundamental. In our heuristic model, a GFA is the negotiated result of interest representation. A GFA creates an arena for the pursuit of global labour relations by defining the content, selecting the actors, delineating the processes and setting the boundaries of labour–management interaction. As a political space undergoing institutionalization, all of these dimensions of arenas are still contested. Although the structural boundaries are fuzzy at the periphery, such arenas reach beyond the organizational entities of the signatory transnational corporation (TNC) to encompass the global production network (GPN). Furthermore, we show how Global Union Federations (GUFs) and their member unions operating in regard to particular GPNs have begun building Transnational Union Networks (TUNs). Using two very different case studies, we argue that structural contingencies and strategic choices intertwine to bring about divergent TUN trajectories: one favouring a limited company‐specific internal approach, the other a broader, GUF‐led union‐building approach. As exemplified by these findings, TUNs in our construction of an arena linking key elements of transnational labour relations are still ‘work in progress’. Our concluding hypotheses reflect this contingency and the need for further research.

Transformation and foreign direct investment: Observations on path dependency, hybridisation, and model transfer at the enterprise level

This article deals with the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) on transformation processes in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Our specific interest is in the effects of FDI on the organisation of work and labour relations at the enterprise level; in a more general sense we are concerned with the contribution of FDI to the creation of the microeconomic foundation essential to functioning market economies. We hold that there is a discernible process of selective harmonisation taking place between outside influences and existing domestic factors. In this context we postulate that the importance of FDI is further enhanced by the fact that it influences a broad array of societal transformation processes beyond the enterprise itself, thus contributing to a process which could develop into what we have labelled a European-style environment. Admittedly, the outcome can as yet only be rudimentarily defined, especially since a European-style environment, as a point of reference, is itself currently undergoing continuous change. But we hypothesise that it will be a process which reflects to varying degrees both the endogenous and exogenous sources of its making.

Going Local with Global Policies: Implementing International Framework Agreements in Brazil and the United States

The impact of the recent worldwide financial and economic crisis has made abundantly clear that the market-creating, regulation-avoiding core of globalization has had far-reaching consequences for the world of labour. Within a neoliberal framework, the spreading of cross-border labour processes through the globalization of production has fostered both the ‘economic integration of countries and the disintegration of production processes’ (Wood 2001: 41). Spatially dispersed and network-like economic structures have facilitated shareholder value maximization by allowing MNEs to distribute financial risks and, at the same time, control the streams of value added by local production (Sydow 1992; Fichter and Sydow 2002; Gereffi et al. 2005).

Implementation of Global Framework Agreements: towards a multi-organizational practice perspective

Over the past decade Global Union Federations have signed an increasing number of Global Framework Agreements, most of which – over 80 per cent – have been with European-based Transnational Corporations. But while Global Framework Agreements are slowly, but continually, increasing in numbers, the results of our empirical research reveal extensive deficits in their implementation. This article begins with a review of these implementation problems and challenges. Drawing on two exemplary case studies, we introduce our multi-organizational practice perspective to illuminate how the contents of Global Framework Agreements as negotiated are linked to implementation, conflict monitoring and resolution procedures. We conclude that there is a need for a systematic and integrated implementation procedure as a means of dealing with the complexity of the Global Framework Agreement process. Our proposal is built on three sets of practices – information dissemination and communication; training programmes; and operational measures – and encompasses both unilateral and joint policies and actions pursued by Global Union Federations and the management of Transnational Corporations.

A house divided: A view of German unification as it has affected organised labour

The role of labour unions in the integration of the new Bundeslander is a key one. For the unions themselves, this process presents a challenge second only to the reconstruction period following the demise of the Nazi regime in 1945. The article takes an extensive look at the union expansion process and the differing organisational and personnel strategies of the DGB and its member unions it generated. Against this background, it discusses the most important economic and social issues facing the German unions in the context of east‐west integration.

The German Way

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German Trade Unions and Right Extremism: Understanding Membership Attitudes

Right-wing populism and extremism present challenges for trade unions throughout Europe. This article reports findings from a representative survey and group interviews with union members in Germany. Far right attitudes are neither more nor less widespread among union members as a whole than in the population at large, but there are considerable differences within the membership. In particular, skilled workers as well as middle managers who are union members are significantly more inclined to extremist attitudes than non-unionists. The article discusses these results and presents several conclusions regarding future trade union policy.

Si può organizzare la solidarietà internazionale a livello aziendale? La prospettiva degli International Framework Agreements (Ifa)

Organizzare la solidarieta a livello internazionale e il tallone d’Achille del sindacato, particolarmente nell’attuale contesto di competizione e produzione globale. In primo luogo, l’articolo mostrera il dispiegarsi di relazioni di potere asimmetriche fra le parti sociali nelle aziende multinazionali e nelle loro reti produttive globali e in che modo gli International Framework Agreements (Ifas) - con i limiti di un approccio focalizzato sull’impresa - possano contribuire a rafforzare la posizione contrattuale del lavoro. I sindacati possono utilizzare questo strumento per creare nuovi spazi di organizzazione, ottenere riconoscimento e promuovere la contrattazione collettiva. Nella seconda parte, il focus si spostera sulle federazioni sindacali globali (Guf) e sui diversi approcci da esse adottati con l’obiettivo di fare degli Ifa un mezzo per costruire forme di solidarieta internazionale. Evidenzieremo la loro importanza nel garantire alle federazioni sindacali globali ri-conoscimento come attori della contrattazione - sia rispetto agli affiliati sia nei confronti del management - e un’agenda contrattuale. L’articolo si concludera con una valutazione di quanto e stato raggiunto attraverso questa strategia e delle sfide che ancora restano da affrontare.