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Trade Union Responses to White Collar Off-Shoring

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

Carolyn Penfold
Carolyn Penfold*
Affiliation:
The University of New South Wales
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Abstract

For some time, the trade union movement has been facing the challenge of repositioning itself to attract and retain members, and to remain relevant, useful, and powerful. These difficulties have been exacerbated during the recent period of intense ‘globalisation’. The political embrace of neo-liberalism, de-regulation of labour and other markets, increased capital flows, interaction between national and regional economies, and innovation and growth of information and communications technology, have created a very different, and constantly changing environment for labour. Services work in particular is increasingly mobile as a result of huge developments in information and communications technology. The white collar service sector is thus creating a particular challenge for trade unions, as the developed world increasingly buys its services off-shore. This article examines the features, extent, and effects of white collar services off-shoring, before going on to examine the responses of trade unions to this phenomenon. It looks at action taken by a number of unions in the USA, Australia, Europe and India, as well as internationally, before drawing conclusions regarding appropriate directions for unions to follow.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Economic and Labour Relations Review , Volume 18 , Issue 1 , November 2007 , pp. 53 - 77
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2007

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