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Community unionism

Community unionism, also known as reciprocal unionism, refers to the formation of alliances between unions and non-labour groups in order to achieve common goals.[1] These unions seek to organize the employed, unemployed, and underemployed.[2] They press for change in the workplace and beyond, organizing around issues such as welfare reform, health care, jobs, housing, and immigration. Individual issues at work are seen as being a part of broader societal problems which they seek to address. Unlike trade unions, community union membership is not based on the workplace- it is based on common identities and issues.[2] Alliances forged between unions and other groups may have a primary identity based on affiliations of religion, ethnic group, gender, disability, environmentalism, neighborhood residence, or sexuality.[1]

Community unionism has many definitions and practices.[3][4] It varies according to country, institutional and political contexts, internal organization, leadership, scale, organizing style, sources of funding, and communication structure.[4] In all, there is no "universal" community union;[5] they take on many different forms.[3] In order to simplify the complex structures of community unions, four categories have been established (although in practice community unions may blur the boundaries of these classifications):[4]

  • Community organization/ no union partner:[4] This consists of community based efforts to organize around workplaces. It may also include new initiatives created by already established community organizations.[6]
  • Labour union(s)/ no community partner:[4] This category is composed of new union locals or new initiatives undertaken as part of a labour union organizing strategy. These organizations seek the support of community institutions but do not form a joint effort with them.[6]
  • Community/labour partnership but with community organization dominant:[4] This organization is based on mutual self-interest. Unions and community work together to improve conditions in the labour market through economic and political action. In these partnerships, community leadership dominates the practice of the organization.[6]
  • Community/labour partnership but with labour union dominant:[4] This organization differs from the one previously mentioned in that union leadership dominates the practice of the organization.[6]

A part of the discourse of why community unionism has many definitions is in the ambiguity of the word "community" itself.[3][4] In "Coalitions and Community Unionism", Tattersall breaks the word "community" into three elements which may help in understanding community unions better: as organizations, common interest and identity, and place.[4]

  1. ^ a b James, A. (2007). "Economic geography: A contemporary introduction * Neil Coe, Philip Kelly and Henry Yeung". Journal of Economic Geography. 8 (4): 581–583. doi:10.1093/jeg/lbn011.
  2. ^ a b Black, Simon (2005). "Community Unionism: A Strategy for Organizing in the New Economy". New Labor Forum. 14 (3): 24–32. doi:10.1080/1095760500245383.
  3. ^ a b c Ellem, Bradon (2008). "Contested communities: Geo-histories of unionism". Journal of Organizational Change Management. 21 (4): 433–450. doi:10.1108/09534810810884830.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Tattersall, Amanda (2008). "Coalitions and community unionism". Journal of Organizational Change Management. 21 (4): 415–432. doi:10.1108/09534810810884821.
  5. ^ Suzuki, A. (2008). "Community Unions in Japan: Similarities and Differences of Region-based Labour Movements between Japan and Other Industrialized Countries". Economic and Industrial Democracy. 29 (4): 492–520. doi:10.1177/0143831X08096230. S2CID 154597561.
  6. ^ a b c d Fine, J. (2005). "Community Unions and the Revival of the American Labor Movement". Politics & Society. 33: 153–199. doi:10.1177/0032329204272553. S2CID 154512602.

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