This paper focuses on how trade unions are redefining their organizational identity in response to the neoliberal changes that have affected the labour market, mainly as a result of the Global Financial Crisis of 2008. Such changes brought about a profound crisis of representation among workers in vari-ous sectors. Trade unions have had to redesign their identities to meet new demands from workers. Based on 30 interviews with unionists from one of Italy’s major unions, the study identifies four dis-cursive variations and as many potential evolutions in the identity of trade unions. The respective posi-tionings generated by these four discourses for the union and its members are examined. The study also highlights certain contradictions in these discursive variations, which may either encourage a redefini-tion of the union’s strategic objectives or, on the contrary, act as regulating mechanism that hampers change.

Ripamonti, S. C., Benozzo, A., Watson, D., Scaratti, G., Galuppo, L., Trade Unions in Neoliberal Times: Discourse Variations on Emerging Identities, <<TPM. TESTING, PSYCHOMETRICS, METHODOLOGY IN APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY>>, 2021; 2021 (28): 129-142. [doi:10.4473/TPM28.1.9] [http://hdl.handle.net/10807/173649]

Trade Unions in Neoliberal Times: Discourse Variations on Emerging Identities

Ripamonti, Silvio Carlo
Primo
;
Scaratti, Giuseppe
Penultimo
;
Galuppo, Laura
Ultimo
2021

Abstract

This paper focuses on how trade unions are redefining their organizational identity in response to the neoliberal changes that have affected the labour market, mainly as a result of the Global Financial Crisis of 2008. Such changes brought about a profound crisis of representation among workers in vari-ous sectors. Trade unions have had to redesign their identities to meet new demands from workers. Based on 30 interviews with unionists from one of Italy’s major unions, the study identifies four dis-cursive variations and as many potential evolutions in the identity of trade unions. The respective posi-tionings generated by these four discourses for the union and its members are examined. The study also highlights certain contradictions in these discursive variations, which may either encourage a redefini-tion of the union’s strategic objectives or, on the contrary, act as regulating mechanism that hampers change.
2021
Inglese
Ripamonti, S. C., Benozzo, A., Watson, D., Scaratti, G., Galuppo, L., Trade Unions in Neoliberal Times: Discourse Variations on Emerging Identities, <<TPM. TESTING, PSYCHOMETRICS, METHODOLOGY IN APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY>>, 2021; 2021 (28): 129-142. [doi:10.4473/TPM28.1.9] [http://hdl.handle.net/10807/173649]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10807/173649
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