Globalisierung und transnationale Arbeitsbeziehungen

U.S. Unions’ Strategic Campaigns against Transnational Enterprises in Germany (S.253)

Abstract – U.S. unions have developed the instrument of strategic campaigns to overcome growing employer resistance and political hostility towards union organizing and bargaining. In recent years, campaigning unions have increasingly sought to leverage transnational linkages of target companies, including attempts to employ the support of unions in the company’s "home country."

I explore, firstly, why German unions have often encountered U.S. unions’ strategic campaigns in Germany with scepticism, and secondly, the circumstances under which German unions have been forthcoming with support despite their scepticism. Differences in industrial relations account for the scepticism of German unions regarding strategic campaigns. Four factors help explain under which circumstances German union support is forthcoming regardless of the scepticism: Political orientation, union strength, industry sector, and target company.

Strategische Kampagnen amerikanischer Gewerkschaften gegen Transnationale Unternehmen in Deutschland

Zusammenfassung – Gewerkschaften in den USA haben das Instrument der „strategischen Kampagne" entwickelt, um den wachsenden Widerstand von Unternehmen und Politik gegen Organisierungsbemühungen und Tarifverhandlungen zu überwinden. In jüngerer Zeit versuchen US-Gewerkschaften zunehmend, transnationale Verbindungen der Zielunternehmen in den Kampagnen auszunutzen, einschließlich der Unterstützung von Gewerkschaften im „Heimatland" der Unternehmen.

Ich untersuche erstens, warum deutsche Gewerkschaften den amerikanischen strategischen Kampagnen oft skeptisch gegenüberstanden, und zweitens, unter welchen Bedingungen die Kampagnen trotz dieser Skepsis unterstützt wurden. Unterschiede in den Systemen industrieller Beziehungen erklären die grundlegende Skepsis deutscher Gewerkschaften in Bezug auf strategische Kampagnen. Vier Faktoren helfen zu erklären, wann die Kampagnen dennoch unterstützt wurden: Politische Ausrichtung, gewerkschaftliche Stärke, Branche und Zielunternehmen.

Key words: Strategic Campaigns, Union Strategies, Labor Transnationalism, Transnational Enterprises, Comparative Industrial Relations

1. Introduction

Unions are on the defensive in most countries. Observers generally agree that they need to increase their transnational activities and expand their "strategic domain" (Martin/Ross 1999) to be able to challenge the neo-liberal "new constitutionalism" (Gill 1998) and shape the global governance of modern capitalism. Ultimately, the transnational activities of unions must be anchored in strengthened national positions – there is no conceivable scenario for unions to be successful "global players" without a strong base at the local level, at workplaces and in politics.

Therefore, it is worthwhile to explore innovative union strategies developed at the national level and designed to improve union political and bargaining power predominantly at that level, but including elements that may provide some potential for effective transnational union action.

Beginning in the late 1970s, U.S. unions have developed the instrument of strategic campaigns to overcome growing employer resistance and political hostility towards union organizing and bargaining. In recent years, campaigning unions have increasingly sought to leverage transnational linkages of target companies, including attempts to employ the support of unions in the company’s "home country." This support is crucial for the desired "boomerang effect" (Keck/Sikking 1998) of strengthening local actors by generating external pressure through allies abroad.