This document discusses the challenges that trade unions face in organizing informal workers. It notes that informal employment makes up a large portion of the global workforce but that informal workers are often excluded from traditional trade union structures and protections. The main challenges identified include political and conceptual barriers regarding how to define informal workers, practical difficulties organizing workers in scattered and individual workplaces, resource constraints for workers with precarious livelihoods, and issues with existing leadership structures. However, the document also discusses that informal workers are being organized through diverse models including trade unions, workers' associations, cooperatives, and other membership-based organizations.
Labor relations systems vary significantly across countries and regions. Some key differences include:
- Canada has more protective unions that are growing, while U.S. unions are declining.
- Mexican unions have traditionally been tied to the ruling political party and faced corruption issues.
- German unions engage in co-determination, providing worker representation in management.
- Japanese companies emphasize lifetime employment and seniority-based compensation.
- Chinese and former Soviet unions prioritized maintaining productivity over worker interests.
- Recent decades saw increased union militancy in South Korea and Taiwan as democracy expanded.
There is general agreement over the need to pay attention to the informal sector because of its importance to employment and poverty issues. There are also an increasing number of programmes aimed at supporting similar informal activities in highly diverse national contexts.
This consensus is backed through the adoption, at the highest level, of policy measures that are meeting with growing acceptance and, sometimes, the active support of social actors, in particular among entrepreneurial and trade union organizations. Such a stand is also based on evidence to the effect that policies to promote the informal sector are viable and profitable, even during economic downswings, and have international financial support. Nevertheless, to the extent that it fails to embrace a shared strategic vision, this is a limited consensus that hinders the eff ectiveness of policies implemented in this area.
While often adequate on an individual basis, they are insufficient and produce limited effects by failing to respond to a more comprehensive approach. The lack of a shared approach is related to the absence of a common definition of the informal sec-tor, which has grown increasingly complex since it was first described in a pioneering ILO report on Kenya in 1972.
Along with the heterogeneous nature of informal economic activities, different perceptions lead to different strategies. These are reviewed in the first section. Too great an emphasis on the regulatory perspective has identified informality with illegality and labour precariousness.
In spite of their ties to informality, however, the two categories are conceptually different. Th e second section is devoted to these subjects and, particularly, to the precariousness of the employment relationship. Lastly, the third section explores strategic options to regulate the informal sector, tracing the features of a different approach to formalizing informal activities, to facilitate their full integration in the modernization process.
For the purpose of this paper, the latter concept is defined as the most dynamic part of the economy operating under a common regulatory framework. Facts and concepts Interpretations and trends The notion of the informal sector was brought forward in a 1972 ILO report on Kenya (ILO, 1972), follow-ing a 1971 paper (Hart, 1973). They highlighted that the problem of employment in less-developed countries is not one of unemployment but rather of employed workers who do not earn enough money to make a living.
They are ‘working poor’. Th is conceptual interpretation was based on their opposition to formality and their lack of access to the market and productive resources. Th is was followed by several contributions (see Tokman, 1978).
This document provides an overview of the employment relations systems of Great Britain, the United States, and Australia. It discusses the key features and processes of each country's systems.
The key features of Britain's system include the influence of conservative governments on weakening trade unions since 1970, a decline in collective bargaining and shift to lower bargaining levels, and the increasing influence of human resource management policies and European Union law.
The US system has a three-tier structure of bargaining at the economy, sectoral, and company levels. Local unions deal with daily interactions and national unions focus on legislation and politics. Pressure to improve competitiveness has led US firms to experiment with both confrontational and collaborative employee relations strategies.
Australia
This document provides an overview of employee relations and international labor organizations. It defines employee relations and discusses factors that influence it such as institutional, economic, technological, political/legal, and global factors. It then evaluates international labor organizations like the WFTU, ICFTU, ITUC, and ETUC. Alternative forms of worker representation are described, including work councils, co-determination, and worker cooperatives. Work councils and co-determination systems in different countries are defined. Finally, litigation risks in international employee relations are mentioned.
This chapter discusses key issues in international industrial relations and policies and practices of multinational companies. It outlines how industrial relations systems differ across countries due to historical and societal factors. Trade unions can constrain multinational strategies by influencing wages, employment levels, and integration across countries. Unions are concerned with multinationals' resources, ability to relocate, control, and potential "investment strikes." Unions respond through international coordination and lobbying for restrictions. The European Union standardizes some policies through information sharing and works councils.
The document discusses trade unions in the Netherlands and their activities within transnational companies like Heineken. It describes the structure of Dutch trade unions like FNV and their focus on promoting workers' rights globally through researching labor conditions within multinational supply chains and establishing international union networks. The challenges of globalization are addressed through coordinating information exchange and joint action across networks to counter the power of multinational corporations.
The document discusses the history and development of labor unions in the United States from the colonial period through modern times. It covers key events and legislation that impacted unions such as the Great Depression, World War II, the Taft-Hartley Act. The document also examines topics related to employment, wages, gender pay differences, and minimum wage.
This document provides an overview of industrial relations in multinational companies operating in India. It discusses the liberalization of India's economy and policies towards foreign direct investment and MNCs. It also examines some specific sectors like automotive and IT that have seen industrial conflicts. Trade union responses to MNCs are outlined, including strengthening unions, pursuing legal regulations, and cross-national cooperation. Case studies of companies like Honda, Bosch, and Siemens in India are also presented.
Labor relations systems vary significantly across countries and regions. Some key differences include:
- Canada has more protective unions that are growing, while U.S. unions are declining.
- Mexican unions have traditionally been tied to the ruling political party and faced corruption issues.
- German unions engage in co-determination, providing worker representation in management.
- Japanese companies emphasize lifetime employment and seniority-based compensation.
- Chinese and former Soviet unions prioritized maintaining productivity over worker interests.
- Recent decades saw increased union militancy in South Korea and Taiwan as democracy expanded.
There is general agreement over the need to pay attention to the informal sector because of its importance to employment and poverty issues. There are also an increasing number of programmes aimed at supporting similar informal activities in highly diverse national contexts.
This consensus is backed through the adoption, at the highest level, of policy measures that are meeting with growing acceptance and, sometimes, the active support of social actors, in particular among entrepreneurial and trade union organizations. Such a stand is also based on evidence to the effect that policies to promote the informal sector are viable and profitable, even during economic downswings, and have international financial support. Nevertheless, to the extent that it fails to embrace a shared strategic vision, this is a limited consensus that hinders the eff ectiveness of policies implemented in this area.
While often adequate on an individual basis, they are insufficient and produce limited effects by failing to respond to a more comprehensive approach. The lack of a shared approach is related to the absence of a common definition of the informal sec-tor, which has grown increasingly complex since it was first described in a pioneering ILO report on Kenya in 1972.
Along with the heterogeneous nature of informal economic activities, different perceptions lead to different strategies. These are reviewed in the first section. Too great an emphasis on the regulatory perspective has identified informality with illegality and labour precariousness.
In spite of their ties to informality, however, the two categories are conceptually different. Th e second section is devoted to these subjects and, particularly, to the precariousness of the employment relationship. Lastly, the third section explores strategic options to regulate the informal sector, tracing the features of a different approach to formalizing informal activities, to facilitate their full integration in the modernization process.
For the purpose of this paper, the latter concept is defined as the most dynamic part of the economy operating under a common regulatory framework. Facts and concepts Interpretations and trends The notion of the informal sector was brought forward in a 1972 ILO report on Kenya (ILO, 1972), follow-ing a 1971 paper (Hart, 1973). They highlighted that the problem of employment in less-developed countries is not one of unemployment but rather of employed workers who do not earn enough money to make a living.
They are ‘working poor’. Th is conceptual interpretation was based on their opposition to formality and their lack of access to the market and productive resources. Th is was followed by several contributions (see Tokman, 1978).
This document provides an overview of the employment relations systems of Great Britain, the United States, and Australia. It discusses the key features and processes of each country's systems.
The key features of Britain's system include the influence of conservative governments on weakening trade unions since 1970, a decline in collective bargaining and shift to lower bargaining levels, and the increasing influence of human resource management policies and European Union law.
The US system has a three-tier structure of bargaining at the economy, sectoral, and company levels. Local unions deal with daily interactions and national unions focus on legislation and politics. Pressure to improve competitiveness has led US firms to experiment with both confrontational and collaborative employee relations strategies.
Australia
This document provides an overview of employee relations and international labor organizations. It defines employee relations and discusses factors that influence it such as institutional, economic, technological, political/legal, and global factors. It then evaluates international labor organizations like the WFTU, ICFTU, ITUC, and ETUC. Alternative forms of worker representation are described, including work councils, co-determination, and worker cooperatives. Work councils and co-determination systems in different countries are defined. Finally, litigation risks in international employee relations are mentioned.
This chapter discusses key issues in international industrial relations and policies and practices of multinational companies. It outlines how industrial relations systems differ across countries due to historical and societal factors. Trade unions can constrain multinational strategies by influencing wages, employment levels, and integration across countries. Unions are concerned with multinationals' resources, ability to relocate, control, and potential "investment strikes." Unions respond through international coordination and lobbying for restrictions. The European Union standardizes some policies through information sharing and works councils.
The document discusses trade unions in the Netherlands and their activities within transnational companies like Heineken. It describes the structure of Dutch trade unions like FNV and their focus on promoting workers' rights globally through researching labor conditions within multinational supply chains and establishing international union networks. The challenges of globalization are addressed through coordinating information exchange and joint action across networks to counter the power of multinational corporations.
The document discusses the history and development of labor unions in the United States from the colonial period through modern times. It covers key events and legislation that impacted unions such as the Great Depression, World War II, the Taft-Hartley Act. The document also examines topics related to employment, wages, gender pay differences, and minimum wage.
This document provides an overview of industrial relations in multinational companies operating in India. It discusses the liberalization of India's economy and policies towards foreign direct investment and MNCs. It also examines some specific sectors like automotive and IT that have seen industrial conflicts. Trade union responses to MNCs are outlined, including strengthening unions, pursuing legal regulations, and cross-national cooperation. Case studies of companies like Honda, Bosch, and Siemens in India are also presented.
The document discusses the history and development of labor unions in the United States. It describes how early unions were comprised mainly of skilled workers and organized after the Civil War. It also outlines key events like the Great Depression encouraging further unionization and post-World War II laws limiting unions. The document also examines topics such as collective bargaining processes, different types of union agreements, wage determination theories, and modern issues regarding declining union influence, gender pay gaps, and minimum wage debates.
Investigation of Socially Intelligeble Young People Introduction to the Labou...ijtsrd
"Youth unemployment is a problem relevant to the whole world, and Lithuania is not different. Although in recent years, due to the efforts of various government and non government organizations, youth unemployment has a tendency to decrease, however, it has been higher than the total unemployment rate in the country during the whole Lithuanias independence. The social costs of youth unemployment are very high. Youth unemployment today is a growing social problem tomorrow. The behaviour of young people in the labour market depends on many social, economic, demographic and other closely related factors. Youth unemployment, as a socio economic phenomenon, is a particularly disadvantageous result of the interaction of these factors. Article analyses youth unemployment and respondents opinion about socially intelligible young peoples introduction to the labour market. Laima Steibliene ""Investigation of Socially Intelligeble Young People Introduction to the Labour Market"" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-3 | Issue-3 , April 2019, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd21691.pdf
Paper URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/humanities-and-the-arts/education/21691/investigation-of-socially-intelligeble-young-people-introduction-to-the-labour-market/laima-steibliene"
The document discusses the history and development of labor unions in the United States from the 1700s through modern times. Early unions organized skilled workers but faced public opposition. The labor movement gained momentum in the late 1800s and unions negotiated for better pay and working conditions. Major labor laws in the 1930s-1950s protected collective bargaining rights and established minimum standards. While unions were strong after World War II, their membership and influence have declined in recent decades.
International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention (IJHSSI)inventionjournals
International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention (IJHSSI) is an international journal intended for professionals and researchers in all fields of Humanities and Social Science. IJHSSI publishes research articles and reviews within the whole field Humanities and Social Science, new teaching methods, assessment, validation and the impact of new technologies and it will continue to provide information on the latest trends and developments in this ever-expanding subject. The publications of papers are selected through double peer reviewed to ensure originality, relevance, and readability. The articles published in our journal can be accessed online
This document discusses youth unemployment in Greece by analyzing data from Greece and comparing it to other European countries. It finds that youth unemployment in Greece has reached historically high levels of over 50% during the Great Recession. While active labor market programs aimed at reducing unemployment have had some success, they are unlikely to be effective in Greece's current economic environment where the overall unemployment rate is 28%. The challenges of high youth unemployment in Greece need to be addressed through alternative approaches.
How to generate employment and to fight against the precarisation of work rel...Fernando Alcoforado
Brazil faces significant unemployment and economic challenges, including a large informal workforce without labor rights, high unemployment, and a recession since 2014. Workers face problems generating necessary jobs and precarious working conditions imposed by neoliberal policies. To address this, the government must implement a large public works program to boost employment and consumption, attract private investment, and create an economic development plan to resume growth. However, the current government's neoliberal policies are likely to exacerbate precarious working conditions and labor reforms have already weakened unions and labor rights. Strengthening unions and pursuing alternative economic models may help address unemployment related to technological change.
Global unions, regional integration and framework agreementsRamrao Ranadive
Global Union Federations seek to build international cooperation and solidarity among trade unions across countries. There has been growing recognition of GUFs by multinational companies and increased social dialogue. In some cases, this has resulted in International Framework Agreements between GUFs and multinational companies to establish global labor standards.
Chapter 8 international industrial relations (iir)Preeti Bhaskar
This document discusses key issues in international industrial relations. It covers industrial relations policies and practices of multinational firms, focusing on factors that influence whether firms centralize or decentralize industrial relations functions. These factors include integration between subsidiaries, nationality of ownership, human resource approach, and subsidiary characteristics. The document also examines how trade unions may constrain multinationals by influencing wages, employment levels, and global integration. Finally, it notes there are many differences in industrial relations systems across countries.
Employment Relations in Germany and SwedenAndreea Nan
The document summarizes key aspects of employment relations in Germany and Sweden. It discusses:
1) The historical development and key actors within the German system, including trade unions, employers, government, and the dual system of co-determination and collective bargaining.
2) Key aspects of the Swedish tripartite system including trade unions, employers' organizations, and the government's role. It also discusses the Laval case ruling.
3) The effects of globalization and Europeanization on both countries, including issues like decentralization of bargaining and increasing labor flexibility.
Regulating work and employment: in search of a more comprehensive paradigm NuBizHRMWE
The document discusses the limitations of the traditional paradigm of industrial relations and employment regulation. It argues a new paradigm is needed to address the decline of trade unions, changes in production strategies, and dualism in labor markets. Specifically:
- The traditional model focused on interactions between workers, employers and the state, relying on collective bargaining, but trade union membership and influence have declined.
- It operated at the national and company levels but did not account for multinational corporations or new forms of employment.
- Existing weaknesses, like lack of representation for some groups, were exacerbated by economic and political shifts since the 1970s.
- A new approach is required that considers developments at the margins of the old
Informal sector labour markets in developing countries 0Dr Lendy Spires
This document discusses characteristics of informal labor markets in developing countries. It presents two opposing views on the causes of informal markets - either as a residual sector absorbing excess labor or a dynamic sector of entrepreneurship. It then examines examples of involuntary informal employment driven by state intervention and labor market segmentation in China, South Africa, and India. Specifically, it discusses how China's hukou system and South Africa's labor regulations have segmented their labor markets. The document also notes evidence that wage differentials can exist between large and small firms independently due to efficiency wage theories, as seen in Zimbabwe. Overall, the document analyzes factors contributing to both voluntary and involuntary informal employment.
Policy support for harnessing informal sector entrepreneurs Dr Lendy Spires
This document analyzes policy support and regulatory interventions for informal sector entrepreneurs across different country contexts through a comparative analysis. It discusses two main approaches to understanding informal sector entrepreneurship: the institutionalist perspective that focuses on regulations and structures, and the opportunity-driven perspective that examines individual entrepreneurs and opportunities. The document then examines specific country examples, categorizing national perspectives as either supportive or focused on control. It analyzes regulatory changes made by transition economies like Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary, as well as developing economies like India, Kenya, and Ethiopia. The approaches taken by different countries range from facilitation and recognition of the informal sector to strict regulatory control.
This document provides an overview of international experiences with improving pension coverage for workers in the informal sector. It discusses several types of policy initiatives that countries have adopted, including broadening access to non-contributory social assistance programs, adapting contributory pension systems to be more flexible for informal sector workers, and providing monetary incentives to encourage voluntary participation in pension plans. Key experiences from countries like Bangladesh, Chile, China, India, Kenya, South Africa, and the UK are examined.
The document analyzes various sociological, technological, environmental, economic, political, legal and ethical factors affecting social enterprises in the UK. Some key points from the analysis include:
- Air pollution and climate change pose health and economic risks and may increase costs through new regulations.
- Technological changes create new opportunities but also risks of organizations being outpaced or communications becoming oversaturated.
- Recent cuts to public services like schools are increasing social pressures while also creating potential roles for social enterprises.
- Economic centralization in London risks a "brain drain" from other parts of the UK.
This document provides an introduction to a collection of articles on technical and vocational skills development in the informal sector. It discusses key concepts related to informality, including economic definitions from organizations like the ILO and OECD. It notes that the informal sector is diverse and complex, with large variations in employment conditions and livelihood circumstances. While some informal jobs and businesses can be lucrative, many in the informal sector find themselves in precarious work situations with low incomes and lack of social protections or benefits. The introduction highlights the potential role of technical and vocational skills development (TVSD) and non-formal adult education in poverty reduction by improving opportunities and incomes for those in the informal sector.
This document discusses labor unions, labor relations, and collective bargaining. It defines labor unions as organizations that represent workers' collective interests and labor relations as the interactions between unions and employers. The document notes that most employees are not unionized but unions can help ensure fair wages and benefits for workers. It also discusses the roles of labor relations employees, the National Labor Relations Board, the Wagner Act, and the Taft-Hartley Act in regulating unions and collective bargaining.
How can haiti prepare for disruption in the future of workOnyl GEDEON
The nature of work is changing. People will need to adapt and readapt. The Haitian government must invest in early childhood education and health and build a lifelong learning system that will allow the Haitian youngs and adults to be reskilled and/or upskilled in many cases. Also, it must build a social protection system that will promote a renewed social contract. In order to do so, the government may conduct tax reforms that will allow the leaders to find the financial means they need.
The document summarizes a study that analyzes the impact of introducing a minimum wage in South Africa's domestic worker sector in 2002. The authors exploit variations in the intensity of the minimum wage law across areas and over time using labor survey data from 2001-2004. They find that domestic worker wages increased by about 20% in the 16 months after the law, with additional increases of 10-15% in areas where the minimum wage was more binding. They also find the probability of a formal employment contract doubling but no significant effects on employment or hours worked. This provides evidence that labor legislation can impact informal sectors even without enforcement, potentially beginning the process of formalization.
This document discusses unemployment in Pakistan. It provides background on unemployment, defining it as the lack of work. Unemployment is a major social issue in Pakistan, with millions of people unemployed. Several factors contribute to high unemployment rates in Pakistan, including a faulty education system that produces too many graduates, lack of industrialization, overpopulation, and lack of political stability. Unemployment leads to many social problems and makes the country more vulnerable to unrest. Overall, the document analyzes the challenges of unemployment in Pakistan and its significant social and economic impacts.
This document analyzes employment trends in Nairobi, Kenya from the 1990s using multiple data sources. It finds that while official records show a shift from formal to informal employment, a careful examination shows no direct transfer from the formal sector to the informal sector. Rather, there was an increasing number of informal contracts between formal enterprises and employees, reducing protections. Seven out of eight jobs still depended on the formal sector. Although migrants made up most of the active population, migration did not significantly impact the labor market structure. However, Nairobi became less attractive to male migrants in the 1990s due to unemployment and lack of opportunity in the formal sector. The market also discriminated more against women over this period. As a result of
This document provides background information and objectives of a project measuring the informal sector and informal employment in St. Lucia. It discusses three key points:
1. The project will enhance statistical capacity through collecting informal employment and enterprise survey data, and training staff on international methodologies. This will improve labor and national accounts statistics.
2. Better informal sector data can help monitor progress on MDGs by providing insights into poverty and gender dimensions of employment.
3. The data can support evidence-based policymaking by informing social and economic policies related to issues like SMEs, poverty reduction, and gender equality. The overall goal is to improve availability and use of informal sector statistics.
This document discusses measuring the informal economy in urban areas. It notes that while much research has focused on developing countries, the informal economy is also present in American cities through street vendors, day laborers, and other activities. Local governments need accurate data on the informal economy to better support economic development and understand urban economic trends, but often view informal workers as problems rather than important economic contributors. The paper argues for new research methods to better quantify the informal economy at the neighborhood level in order to inform public policy decisions.
The document discusses the history and development of labor unions in the United States. It describes how early unions were comprised mainly of skilled workers and organized after the Civil War. It also outlines key events like the Great Depression encouraging further unionization and post-World War II laws limiting unions. The document also examines topics such as collective bargaining processes, different types of union agreements, wage determination theories, and modern issues regarding declining union influence, gender pay gaps, and minimum wage debates.
Investigation of Socially Intelligeble Young People Introduction to the Labou...ijtsrd
"Youth unemployment is a problem relevant to the whole world, and Lithuania is not different. Although in recent years, due to the efforts of various government and non government organizations, youth unemployment has a tendency to decrease, however, it has been higher than the total unemployment rate in the country during the whole Lithuanias independence. The social costs of youth unemployment are very high. Youth unemployment today is a growing social problem tomorrow. The behaviour of young people in the labour market depends on many social, economic, demographic and other closely related factors. Youth unemployment, as a socio economic phenomenon, is a particularly disadvantageous result of the interaction of these factors. Article analyses youth unemployment and respondents opinion about socially intelligible young peoples introduction to the labour market. Laima Steibliene ""Investigation of Socially Intelligeble Young People Introduction to the Labour Market"" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-3 | Issue-3 , April 2019, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd21691.pdf
Paper URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/humanities-and-the-arts/education/21691/investigation-of-socially-intelligeble-young-people-introduction-to-the-labour-market/laima-steibliene"
The document discusses the history and development of labor unions in the United States from the 1700s through modern times. Early unions organized skilled workers but faced public opposition. The labor movement gained momentum in the late 1800s and unions negotiated for better pay and working conditions. Major labor laws in the 1930s-1950s protected collective bargaining rights and established minimum standards. While unions were strong after World War II, their membership and influence have declined in recent decades.
International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention (IJHSSI)inventionjournals
International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention (IJHSSI) is an international journal intended for professionals and researchers in all fields of Humanities and Social Science. IJHSSI publishes research articles and reviews within the whole field Humanities and Social Science, new teaching methods, assessment, validation and the impact of new technologies and it will continue to provide information on the latest trends and developments in this ever-expanding subject. The publications of papers are selected through double peer reviewed to ensure originality, relevance, and readability. The articles published in our journal can be accessed online
This document discusses youth unemployment in Greece by analyzing data from Greece and comparing it to other European countries. It finds that youth unemployment in Greece has reached historically high levels of over 50% during the Great Recession. While active labor market programs aimed at reducing unemployment have had some success, they are unlikely to be effective in Greece's current economic environment where the overall unemployment rate is 28%. The challenges of high youth unemployment in Greece need to be addressed through alternative approaches.
How to generate employment and to fight against the precarisation of work rel...Fernando Alcoforado
Brazil faces significant unemployment and economic challenges, including a large informal workforce without labor rights, high unemployment, and a recession since 2014. Workers face problems generating necessary jobs and precarious working conditions imposed by neoliberal policies. To address this, the government must implement a large public works program to boost employment and consumption, attract private investment, and create an economic development plan to resume growth. However, the current government's neoliberal policies are likely to exacerbate precarious working conditions and labor reforms have already weakened unions and labor rights. Strengthening unions and pursuing alternative economic models may help address unemployment related to technological change.
Global unions, regional integration and framework agreementsRamrao Ranadive
Global Union Federations seek to build international cooperation and solidarity among trade unions across countries. There has been growing recognition of GUFs by multinational companies and increased social dialogue. In some cases, this has resulted in International Framework Agreements between GUFs and multinational companies to establish global labor standards.
Chapter 8 international industrial relations (iir)Preeti Bhaskar
This document discusses key issues in international industrial relations. It covers industrial relations policies and practices of multinational firms, focusing on factors that influence whether firms centralize or decentralize industrial relations functions. These factors include integration between subsidiaries, nationality of ownership, human resource approach, and subsidiary characteristics. The document also examines how trade unions may constrain multinationals by influencing wages, employment levels, and global integration. Finally, it notes there are many differences in industrial relations systems across countries.
Employment Relations in Germany and SwedenAndreea Nan
The document summarizes key aspects of employment relations in Germany and Sweden. It discusses:
1) The historical development and key actors within the German system, including trade unions, employers, government, and the dual system of co-determination and collective bargaining.
2) Key aspects of the Swedish tripartite system including trade unions, employers' organizations, and the government's role. It also discusses the Laval case ruling.
3) The effects of globalization and Europeanization on both countries, including issues like decentralization of bargaining and increasing labor flexibility.
Regulating work and employment: in search of a more comprehensive paradigm NuBizHRMWE
The document discusses the limitations of the traditional paradigm of industrial relations and employment regulation. It argues a new paradigm is needed to address the decline of trade unions, changes in production strategies, and dualism in labor markets. Specifically:
- The traditional model focused on interactions between workers, employers and the state, relying on collective bargaining, but trade union membership and influence have declined.
- It operated at the national and company levels but did not account for multinational corporations or new forms of employment.
- Existing weaknesses, like lack of representation for some groups, were exacerbated by economic and political shifts since the 1970s.
- A new approach is required that considers developments at the margins of the old
Informal sector labour markets in developing countries 0Dr Lendy Spires
This document discusses characteristics of informal labor markets in developing countries. It presents two opposing views on the causes of informal markets - either as a residual sector absorbing excess labor or a dynamic sector of entrepreneurship. It then examines examples of involuntary informal employment driven by state intervention and labor market segmentation in China, South Africa, and India. Specifically, it discusses how China's hukou system and South Africa's labor regulations have segmented their labor markets. The document also notes evidence that wage differentials can exist between large and small firms independently due to efficiency wage theories, as seen in Zimbabwe. Overall, the document analyzes factors contributing to both voluntary and involuntary informal employment.
Policy support for harnessing informal sector entrepreneurs Dr Lendy Spires
This document analyzes policy support and regulatory interventions for informal sector entrepreneurs across different country contexts through a comparative analysis. It discusses two main approaches to understanding informal sector entrepreneurship: the institutionalist perspective that focuses on regulations and structures, and the opportunity-driven perspective that examines individual entrepreneurs and opportunities. The document then examines specific country examples, categorizing national perspectives as either supportive or focused on control. It analyzes regulatory changes made by transition economies like Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary, as well as developing economies like India, Kenya, and Ethiopia. The approaches taken by different countries range from facilitation and recognition of the informal sector to strict regulatory control.
This document provides an overview of international experiences with improving pension coverage for workers in the informal sector. It discusses several types of policy initiatives that countries have adopted, including broadening access to non-contributory social assistance programs, adapting contributory pension systems to be more flexible for informal sector workers, and providing monetary incentives to encourage voluntary participation in pension plans. Key experiences from countries like Bangladesh, Chile, China, India, Kenya, South Africa, and the UK are examined.
The document analyzes various sociological, technological, environmental, economic, political, legal and ethical factors affecting social enterprises in the UK. Some key points from the analysis include:
- Air pollution and climate change pose health and economic risks and may increase costs through new regulations.
- Technological changes create new opportunities but also risks of organizations being outpaced or communications becoming oversaturated.
- Recent cuts to public services like schools are increasing social pressures while also creating potential roles for social enterprises.
- Economic centralization in London risks a "brain drain" from other parts of the UK.
This document provides an introduction to a collection of articles on technical and vocational skills development in the informal sector. It discusses key concepts related to informality, including economic definitions from organizations like the ILO and OECD. It notes that the informal sector is diverse and complex, with large variations in employment conditions and livelihood circumstances. While some informal jobs and businesses can be lucrative, many in the informal sector find themselves in precarious work situations with low incomes and lack of social protections or benefits. The introduction highlights the potential role of technical and vocational skills development (TVSD) and non-formal adult education in poverty reduction by improving opportunities and incomes for those in the informal sector.
This document discusses labor unions, labor relations, and collective bargaining. It defines labor unions as organizations that represent workers' collective interests and labor relations as the interactions between unions and employers. The document notes that most employees are not unionized but unions can help ensure fair wages and benefits for workers. It also discusses the roles of labor relations employees, the National Labor Relations Board, the Wagner Act, and the Taft-Hartley Act in regulating unions and collective bargaining.
How can haiti prepare for disruption in the future of workOnyl GEDEON
The nature of work is changing. People will need to adapt and readapt. The Haitian government must invest in early childhood education and health and build a lifelong learning system that will allow the Haitian youngs and adults to be reskilled and/or upskilled in many cases. Also, it must build a social protection system that will promote a renewed social contract. In order to do so, the government may conduct tax reforms that will allow the leaders to find the financial means they need.
The document summarizes a study that analyzes the impact of introducing a minimum wage in South Africa's domestic worker sector in 2002. The authors exploit variations in the intensity of the minimum wage law across areas and over time using labor survey data from 2001-2004. They find that domestic worker wages increased by about 20% in the 16 months after the law, with additional increases of 10-15% in areas where the minimum wage was more binding. They also find the probability of a formal employment contract doubling but no significant effects on employment or hours worked. This provides evidence that labor legislation can impact informal sectors even without enforcement, potentially beginning the process of formalization.
This document discusses unemployment in Pakistan. It provides background on unemployment, defining it as the lack of work. Unemployment is a major social issue in Pakistan, with millions of people unemployed. Several factors contribute to high unemployment rates in Pakistan, including a faulty education system that produces too many graduates, lack of industrialization, overpopulation, and lack of political stability. Unemployment leads to many social problems and makes the country more vulnerable to unrest. Overall, the document analyzes the challenges of unemployment in Pakistan and its significant social and economic impacts.
This document analyzes employment trends in Nairobi, Kenya from the 1990s using multiple data sources. It finds that while official records show a shift from formal to informal employment, a careful examination shows no direct transfer from the formal sector to the informal sector. Rather, there was an increasing number of informal contracts between formal enterprises and employees, reducing protections. Seven out of eight jobs still depended on the formal sector. Although migrants made up most of the active population, migration did not significantly impact the labor market structure. However, Nairobi became less attractive to male migrants in the 1990s due to unemployment and lack of opportunity in the formal sector. The market also discriminated more against women over this period. As a result of
This document provides background information and objectives of a project measuring the informal sector and informal employment in St. Lucia. It discusses three key points:
1. The project will enhance statistical capacity through collecting informal employment and enterprise survey data, and training staff on international methodologies. This will improve labor and national accounts statistics.
2. Better informal sector data can help monitor progress on MDGs by providing insights into poverty and gender dimensions of employment.
3. The data can support evidence-based policymaking by informing social and economic policies related to issues like SMEs, poverty reduction, and gender equality. The overall goal is to improve availability and use of informal sector statistics.
This document discusses measuring the informal economy in urban areas. It notes that while much research has focused on developing countries, the informal economy is also present in American cities through street vendors, day laborers, and other activities. Local governments need accurate data on the informal economy to better support economic development and understand urban economic trends, but often view informal workers as problems rather than important economic contributors. The paper argues for new research methods to better quantify the informal economy at the neighborhood level in order to inform public policy decisions.
The document discusses the role of the informal sector in solid waste management and conditions for its successful integration. It finds that informal waste pickers currently contribute significantly to waste collection, sorting, and recycling in many developing countries. However, waste pickers often face hazardous working conditions with lack of benefits. The document examines experiences from GTZ projects and identifies key factors for the informal sector's successful integration, including: the organization of waste pickers, developing social acceptance of their work, establishing legal protections and partnerships with the public and private sectors, and ensuring their access to waste materials. Overall, the experiences discussed found that partnerships with the informal sector can improve waste management while also contributing to poverty reduction.
This document discusses research on Nigeria's informal sector over nearly four decades. It begins by noting the rapid growth of informal economies globally and the large body of literature on the topic. Some scholars advocate analyzing informality at the national level given variability across countries. The Nigerian informal sector predates the concept's introduction, with early research in 1975. Since structural adjustment in 1986, the informal workforce has greatly expanded. The document aims to systematically review informal sector literature in Nigeria for the first time. It analyzes the trajectory of research and aims to identify gaps to inform future studies.
This document summarizes findings from interviews with 55 African Americans engaged in informal economic activities in Chicago and Baltimore. It explores the nature of informal work, reasons for participating, and advantages and disadvantages. Most interviewees operate unregistered, cash-based businesses like home repair, childcare, or hair styling. While some supplement formal jobs, others work informally due to inability to find formal employment or dissatisfaction with formal jobs. Reasons for participating include the need for supplemental income, a desire for independence, or to strengthen social support networks. The document discusses implications for microenterprise programs seeking to engage these potential clients.
This document summarizes a paper on organizing workers in the informal sector through trade union-cooperative action. Some key points:
1. Trade unions and cooperatives have historically collaborated, though they employ different strategies - unions focus on mutual struggle, cooperatives on mutual help. Both share core values like democracy and mutual support.
2. The informal sector refers to unprotected, unorganized workers. Views range from optimistic to pessimistic on its value. The concept applies less in developed countries due to less widespread informalization.
3. Informal sector workers lack protections, income, social services and face many constraints. Their vulnerability is a common theme. Trade unions and cooperatives have a duty to help given
This case study examines social entrepreneurship among women making paper beads in the informal sector of Kireka and Banda, Kampala, Uganda. Most of the women are widows, refugees, or living with HIV/AIDS. In addition to self-employment, their businesses provide a survival strategy. Though operating small nonprofit businesses, they demonstrate innovative behaviors and increase mission value, qualifying as social entrepreneurs. The study analyzes psychological, sociological, and economic theories to explain the emergence of social entrepreneurship in this context, noting the importance of social networks and life circumstances. It concludes by questioning how these social entrepreneurs can gain market access and whether a sustainable model can be adapted for this community.
This document provides an overview of the informal economy in developing countries. It discusses the development and definitions of the informal economy, how it is measured, and its composition across different world regions. It finds that the informal economy has significantly grown in most developing nations and now constitutes a large share of employment. Common obstacles faced by informal enterprises include access to finance, regulatory burdens, and lack of property rights. The document reviews policies by governments and international organizations to support the informal economy. It examines Sida's approach and finds room to increase knowledge of the informal economy and target interventions more clearly. Overall, the document argues for the need to develop innovative policies that recognize the contributions of informal actors and help facilitate their graduation to the formal economy.
This document examines policy recommendations for addressing the challenges posed by the large informal sector in developing countries, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. It discusses five main areas for policy interventions based on recent research: 1) improving productivity across the informal sector continuum, 2) developing public-private partnerships to implement mutually beneficial reforms, 3) increasing skills development and access to business services, 4) reducing incentives for smuggling and promoting regional trade, 5) targeting labor-intensive sectors to capitalize on demographic shifts. The informal sector plays a major role in many African economies but also undermines growth, fiscal revenues and competitiveness. Coordinated reforms are needed at national, regional and international levels.
This document summarizes a project in The Gambia that aimed to improve access for the informal tourism sector to economic opportunities. It describes how the project engaged stakeholders from the informal and formal sectors, as well as the Gambian government, to address barriers faced by informal workers. Through consensus-building activities and pilot initiatives in areas like craft markets and juice selling, the project helped increase sales and earnings for informal businesses. It provides lessons on developing partnerships between sectors and empowering local organizations to promote inclusive and sustainable tourism development.
The document summarizes a study on the role of the informal sector in poverty reduction and food security in Malawi. Key findings from the study include:
- Agriculture is the main livelihood for most respondents, with over 86.7% depending on own production for food.
- Income generating activities (IGAs) play an important role in supporting agricultural production by providing income to purchase household needs and farm inputs.
- The study recommends encouraging IGAs to sustain household food security and reduce poverty levels by supporting agricultural productivity.
This document summarizes a case study examining the challenges faced by local governments in South Africa in delivering energy services to residents of informal settlements. Interviews with residents of an informal settlement in Grassy Park revealed that they spend a large portion of their income on expensive and unsafe fuels like paraffin and candles for lighting, cooking and heating. While national policy aims to address energy poverty through initiatives like Free Basic Alternative Energy, local governments have struggled with implementation. Meetings with officials revealed tensions between national and local roles, and that the funding allocation of R55 per household per month was insufficient for meaningful implementation of energy access programs for residents of informal settlements.
This document discusses integrating the informal waste sector into solid waste management systems. It notes that the informal sector currently recovers more resources from waste than the formal sector in many low and middle-income countries. Integrating the informal sector can help improve recycling rates, reduce environmental harm, boost resource recovery, and create employment opportunities. The document outlines approaches some organizations have taken to facilitate integration, including involving the informal sector in policymaking and planning, strengthening their organizational capacities, and fostering partnerships between informal and formal private sectors.
This document summarizes a report on taxing the informal sector in developing countries. It begins by defining the informal sector and discussing its size in African economies. There are benefits to taxing the informal sector such as increasing government revenue, encouraging economic growth, and strengthening accountability. However, efforts to tax the informal sector face challenges related to compliance. The report discusses common strategies used like indirect taxes, withholding taxes, and presumptive tax regimes. It argues more research is needed on incentives for compliance and how to shift incentives for taxpayers, politicians, and administrators. Some countries are experimenting with new approaches but more evidence is still needed on their outcomes and impacts on development.
1. The document examines the informal sector in Alice, South Africa as a source of household income for poor urban residents. It explores the impact of the informal sector on livelihoods and suggests ways to improve its income-generating ability.
2. The informal sector faces many challenges, including lack of capital, complex regulations, and high transportation costs. The study investigates these challenges and proposes policy solutions to assist the sector and reduce poverty.
3. The research objectives are to determine if the informal sector provides income, assess the average income it provides, and examine problems facing informal businesses in Alice.
This document summarizes a paper that analyzes the relationship between the formal and informal sectors in India. It begins by reviewing literature on the linkages between agriculture and the formal sector, including demand-side linkages through income redistribution and mutual exchange, and supply-side linkages as agriculture provides wage goods, raw materials, and prevents a "profit squeeze" in the formal sector. The paper then proposes departing from models where prices determine resource allocation and output, and instead assumes rigid wages and terms of trade between agriculture and the formal sector due to powerful lobbying groups. It plans to build a macroeconomic framework to analyze whether the formal and informal sectors have a complementary or conflicting relationship.
Measuring informality: A statistical manual on the informal sector and infor...Dr Lendy Spires
This document provides an overview and guidelines for measuring informality through statistical standards and data collection methods. It discusses the definitions and concepts of the informal sector and informal employment as established by the International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS). The informal sector is defined as unregistered or small businesses that lack formal structures, while informal employment includes jobs without social protections. The document recommends household surveys, establishment surveys, and mixed modular/independent surveys to collect data on employment in these areas. It also provides options for indirect estimation techniques if direct data is unavailable. The goal is to help national statistical offices improve measurement and comparability of statistics on the informal sector and informal employment.
This document summarizes a paper that examines the informal economy from the perspective of informal businesses. It defines the informal economy as economic activity that occurs outside the legal framework, though the activities may be legal in nature. The paper explores different views on whether the informal economy is problematic or a solution. It also discusses the size and causes of the informal economy, including how high costs of formalization can drive businesses underground. A case study on Haiti finds that most businesses operate informally there due to legislative and institutional barriers that make formalization excessively costly and complex.
This dissertation examines the relationship between Botswana's developmental state and the country's informal sector. It finds that while Botswana has pursued industrial policies to support small businesses and economic empowerment, the legal and regulatory framework has negatively impacted informal sector enterprises. The dissertation also analyzes the national and local institutional frameworks for micro-enterprise development in Botswana, finding gaps in capacity at both levels. Overall, while Botswana's developmental state has achieved economic success, its policies and institutions have yet to fully capitalize on the potential of the informal sector to further development goals.
This document discusses strategies for modernizing the informal sector. It begins by reviewing different interpretations of the informal sector and how it has evolved over time. It then discusses three main policy approaches: supporting microenterprise development, providing social welfare for informal workers, and reforming the regulatory framework. The document focuses on the third approach and explores options for altering regulations to facilitate integrating informal activities into the formal economic system and modernization process. It argues that while informality is not solely caused by regulatory issues, regulatory improvements can help foster inclusion of the informal sector.
191Chapter Seven Union Avoidance Rationale, Strat.docxjoyjonna282
This chapter discusses employer resistance to unionization and strategies used to maintain union-free work environments. It provides historical context on employer opposition dating back to the late 1800s. Key rationales for employer opposition include unions introducing higher wages and inflexible work rules that can decrease profitability and shareholder value. The chapter also outlines "union-free" approaches some employers use to avoid unionization in their operations, including explicit desires to remain non-union.
The document discusses the history and formation of labor unions in the United States and Europe. It explores how unions were initially formed to protect workers from abusive practices, but have since been accused of hindering industries. The document also examines the role of unions in collective bargaining and representing members in disputes with management. It analyzes how the relationship between unions and management has evolved over time.
1. The document discusses perspectives on labor economics for development in developing countries and provides policy recommendations to address issues like informality of labor, labor migration, gender disparity, and low labor productivity.
2. For informality of labor, it recommends allocating better economic opportunities for informal laborers through microfinancing, cooperatives, and extending social security programs. For labor migration, it suggests creating a balance between economic opportunities and migration costs, and establishing less restrictive immigration policies.
3. The document also analyzes factors influencing labor migration based on several migration models and theories. It notes that many skilled Filipino workers migrate for higher paying jobs abroad due to lack of attractive domestic opportunities.
The document discusses two major labor organizations in American history - the American Federation of Labor (AFL) and the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). The AFL was founded in 1886 and promoted craft unions for skilled workers. In contrast, the IWW was founded in 1905 and promoted industrial unions that were open to all workers regardless of skill. The IWW advocated more radical tactics than the AFL's focus on collective bargaining. Over time, the CIO split from the AFL in the 1930s to form industrial unions, and the two merged again in the 1950s to form the AFL-CIO as the dominant labor organization.
Retirement Preparations in a New Age of Self-EmploymentAegon
The self-employed have a flexible vision of retirement. They plan on working past traditional retirement age, easing into retirement, and fully retiring at an older age. The Aegon Retirement Readiness Survey 2016
Trade Union Freedom Fact Sheet Cnv InternationaalCNV Vakcentrale
The right to organise in trade unions is a fundamental labour and human right. Yet, in many countries, workers attempt many barriers to organizing. Although the right to organise in trade unions is a fundamental labour and human right. This is usually referred to as: The right to free association in trade unions. Additionally, every individual has the right to collective bargaining over employment conditions. These rights are laid down in national and international legislation and regulations. Such as the International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions, or OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.
Engaging in a meaningful dialogue
Why is trade union freedom so important? First, to improve labour conditions it is crucial to engage in a meaningful dialogue on factory, sectoral, and even national level. On behalf of their members. Independent trade unions negotiate with employers or their representatives on collective employment conditions, which subsequently are laid down in collective labour agreements. Such working conditions may refer to salary, remuneration, working hours and rest periods. Usually, individuals are not able to reach such agreements, where trade unions are successful.
This fact sheet has been developed for the WellMade project, a project designed to provide both people working in European fashion brands as well as procurement officers within companies and organisations with an understanding of the most important labour issues in the supply chain.
The partners would like to acknowledge the generous support of the European Union in making WellMade possible. This website reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
More information:
http://www.wellmade.org
https://www.cnvinternationaal.nl/
The document discusses trade unions and their role in the workplace. It covers the evolution of management roles over the last century from giving orders to subordinates to a more modern approach. Trade unions represent workers and negotiate pay and conditions on their behalf, while management represents the employer. The document questions whether management should have the right to determine if a union operates within their workforce. It will address the benefits unions provide as well as potential adverse effects and recent trends in union membership.
The document discusses industrial relations and trade unions. It defines industrial relations as the relationship between employers and employees, and the role of different parties in maintaining this relationship. Trade unions are defined as voluntary organizations formed by workers or employers to promote their collective interests. The objectives and requirements of a successful industrial relations program are outlined. The key principles, objectives, and functions of trade unions are explained, including their militant, fraternal, political and social roles. The document also covers grievance management procedures.
Crisis, Cuts and Citizenship: The case for a Universal Minimum Income Guarant...Oxfam GB
Professor Ailsa McKay, from the Glasgow Caledonian University, talks about the recent financial crisis and the subsequent cuts.
Stephen Boyd, Assistant Secretary of the Scottish Trade Unions Congress, talks about how the Scottish economy works.
The Whose Economy? seminars, organised by Oxfam Scotland and the University of the West of Scotland, brought together experts to look at recent changes in the Scottish economy and their impact on Scotland's most vulnerable communities.
Held over winter and spring 2010-11 in Edinburgh, Inverness, Glasgow and Stirling, the series posed the question of what economy is being created in Scotland and, specifically, for whom?
To find out more and view other Whose Economy? papers, presentations and videos visit:
http://www.oxfamblogs.org/ukpovertypost/whose-economy-seminar-series-winter-2010-spring-2011/
PENSION COVERAGE AND INFORMAL SECTOR WORKERS: INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCESDr Lendy Spires
Introduction Modern pension system can trace their roots back at least to late 19th century in Germany, when the Bismarckian social welfare system was introduced. Nowadays, pensions have spread and established around the globe, including in both developed and developing countries. Though the type of pension system varies, all play an important role in providing necessary income to elderly populations and in alleviating post-retirement poverty among the poorest sectors of society.
However, despite the continued evolution and development of modern pension system over the past century, one issue which is yet to be resolved is how to extend such structured pensions arrangement to informal sector workers. Though the definition of this sector varies by country, informal sector workers are generally those with low incomes or self-employed, working in very small (unregistered) companies or the household sector, often on a part-time basis (and migrant workers) in industries such as agriculture, construction and services.
Compared to workers in the formal sector - who normally join either mandatory or voluntary pension systems, or both - those in the informal sector are typically not covered well (in many cases not at all) by modern, structured pension systems. They do not have access to pension plans organised or run by employers, may lack official registration papers or other documents which could help the relevant authorities target them for other schemes, may change job frequently and often live and work in rural areas which financial infrastructure is poor or non-existent.
These workers may also come from lower income and educated groups, meaning their knowledge and understanding of pension and saving products is limited and their resources for long-term savings scare. Hence gaining access to a structured pension system is a challenge for these workers. This issue is even more severe in developing countries, and indeed a rise in the informal sector has been correlated with economic growth in several regions. The challenge is greater in these countries partly due to logistical difficulties in getting informal sector workers to participate in pension schemes, and partly due to the traditional role of family support in pension provisioning.
Recently both the international community and national governments have realised the increasing importance and urgency of extending the pension system to the informal sector. Indeed, a range of different policy initiatives have been undertaken, aiming to tackle this problem given the country-specific conditions and environments. This paper provides a comparative overview of these policies, and aims to provide practical international experiences to other governments considering such pension reform initiatives. The remaining part of the paper is arranged as follows. Section 2 will give an overview of 1
Master Thesis_Codes of Conduct_Stephen Wils_25.08.2010Stephen Wils
This document summarizes a study on the impacts of codes of conduct in the garment industry in Tirupur, India. The study found that codes have led to some benefits for workers, especially improvements in health, safety, and minimum wages. However, there were little to no impacts on process rights like freedom of association. Social audits were also found to be too superficial to uncover less visible issues. In conclusion, while codes have improved some visible outcomes for workers, they have been limited in enhancing workers' rights and fall short of their full objectives due to a technical focus on compliance and failures in auditing process rights.
Labour relation and collective bargainingvivek Thota
Trade unions are organizations that workers join to collectively bargain with employers on issues like wages, hours, and working conditions. A trade union will negotiate with employers on behalf of its members to establish a collective bargaining agreement. Issues negotiated typically include wages, rules, complaint procedures, hiring/firing policies, benefits, and safety policies. Agreements are binding on both union members and the employer. Trade unions originated in Europe during the Industrial Revolution when workers had little bargaining power and were often mistreated. Unions help protect workers' rights and reduce inequality. They may also engage in strikes or political campaigns to further members' interests.
This document discusses labor unions and labor relations. It explains that unions represent workers' interests and help negotiate pay, benefits, and working conditions through collective bargaining agreements. When negotiations break down, unions may call a strike where members refuse to work until demands are met. Strikes aim to put pressure on employers by reducing production. While most negotiations do not result in strikes, they remain an important tactic for unions. The document also questions whether unions are still relevant in the US given long-term declines in union membership.
1. Organizing in the Informal Economy:
A Challenge for Trade Unions
CHRISTINE BONNER AND DAVE SPOONER
Introduction
Over the past two decades or so trade unions have become increasingly
aware of, and challenged by, the growth, persistence, and reach of in-formal
employment across the globe. The idea that informal work is a
transitory phenomenon and will decline and even disappear over time
through formalization has largely been dispelled (Chen et al. 2005: 88).
Informal or precarious employment is extensive and growing in many
developing countries, and is on the rise in various guises in industrialized
countries.1 At the same time, union membership has declined in many
countries as the number of formal, permanent, full-time jobs has shrunk.
Pressure from unions in developing countries already organizing in-formal
workers, and interventions by the ilo – particularly the Resolution
Concerning Decent Work and the Informal Economy adopted at the Inter-national
Labour Conference in 20022 – has increased awareness of the
1. Informal or precarious employment comprises between one-half and three-quarters
of non-agricultural employment in developing countries: specifically 48 percent in
northern Africa, 51 percent in Latin America, 65 percent in Asia, and 72 percent in
sub-Saharan Africa (78 percent if South Africa is excluded). 60 percent or more of
women workers in the developing world are in informal employment, rising to
84 percent in sub-Saharan Africa (non-agricultural) (ilo 2002a: 7). We do not have
comparable figures for developed countries but we do know that three categories of
non-standard or atypical work – self-employment, part-time work, and temporary
work – comprise 30 percent of overall employment in 15 European countries and
25 percent of total employment in the United States. Not all such categories of
workers are employed informally, but the majority receive few if any employment-based
benefits or protection. In the us, for instance, less than 20 percent of regular
part-time workers have employer-sponsored health insurance or pensions (wiego
2010).
2. The 2002 discussion and Resolution on Decent Work and the Informal Economy at the
International Labour Conference recognized that informal workers – employed
and self-employed – have the same rights as formal workers to decent work, and
promotes the organization of informal workers (ilo 2002b).
ipg 2 /2011 Bonner / Spooner, Organizing in the Informal Economy 87
2. need to organize informal workers and spurred policy changes in the
international trade union movement.
However, this has not been fully translated into support and action by
national centers and unions. Despite progress, especially in developing
countries where the issue is most pressing, some remain skeptical about
the feasibility or desirability of organizing informal workers into trade
unions.
As has been cogently argued by many,3 there are compelling practical
and political reasons for trade unions to take the lead in such organizing
if they are to retain or rebuild their influence with employers and govern-ments,
and their legitimacy as the voice and true representatives of the
broad working class. With more than half the world’s workers informally
employed, and union density in the formal economy in decline in most
countries – for example, in the United Kingdom (Achur 2009: 3) – the
challenge for the union movement is urgent and serious.
Organizing Challenges for Trade Unions
Unions and other workers’ organizations undoubtedly face many real
challenges in organizing the informal workforce, irrespective of sector
or country. Challenges are political / conceptual and practical, external
and internal, with many trade unions lacking the experience, openness,
skills, resources or political will to seriously take on the challenge of
organizing informal workers. Particular challenges result from the gender
composition and segmentation of the informal workforce, where women
form the bulk of those employed in sectors with the least income, security
and status (ilo 2002a).
Political / Conceptual Challenges
Whilste the ilc 2002 Resolution goes a long way towards clarifying what
is meant by informal employment, and gives status and legitimacy to
informal workers, the concepts contained in the Resolution are not uni-versally
understood or accepted. This is not surprising, given the diversity
of informal work, the varying degrees of informality and – often – the lack
of a clear dividing line between employer and employee.
3. See, for example, Gallin 2001; Horn 2008.
88 Bonner / Spooner, Organizing in the Informal Economy ipg 2 /2011
3. Some unionists remain unconvinced that self-employed or »own ac-count
« workers are in fact workers, believing that they fall outside the
trade union ambit. This is often supported by labor laws that include
only workers in an employment relationship. There are informal workers,
too, that do not perceive themselves as workers and their organizations
do not perceive themselves to be part of the organized labor movement
or allied to the labor movement. In other cases their organizations may
look, behave, and organize themselves like trade unions, but for a variety
of reasons do not identify themselves as such. For example, they may not
wish to be associated with the political allegiances of the »formal« trade
union movement in their country or sector or the members may have
had bad experiences of trade unions. This lack of a worker identity is
particularly true of many women, such as home-based workers who may
see their work as an extension of domestic or family duties (Bonner and
Spooner 2010: 4).
Practical Challenges
Legal and Regulatory Framework
Most informal workers fall outside the legal framework for formal
workers, with rights and protections around which to organize and
make gains, and there are no traditional collective bargaining forums.
As collective bargaining is a defining feature of trade union work, this
creates a particular challenge for traditional unions. In the case of own-account
workers such as street vendors or waste pickers,4 there is also no
employment relationship, or the employment relationship is unclear or
disguised, such as for many homeworkers. Some trade unionists hold to
this more narrow view that such workers are outside the scope of trade
union organization.
Where an employment relationship exists, such as for domestic
workers or many garment workers, the workplaces are often so small – or
in individual households – that workers lack power to confront employers
4. Many different terms are used to describe workers who extract and sell recyclable
material from waste (waste pickers, rag-pickers, reclaimers, recyclers, waste-collectors,
»recicladores«, and so on), part of an ongoing debate among the
workers themselves. See »The Politics of Naming« in Samson 2009: 2.
ipg 2 /2011 Bonner / Spooner, Organizing in the Informal Economy 89
4. and obtain gains. Their employers are often harsh and ignore the law, so
they are easily dismissed with little or no recourse to legal remedies.
Where regulation does exist, such as urban space or transport
regulations, it usually creates obstacles or results in the harassment of in-formal
workers by police and authorities, rather than helping to improve
their situation. While harassment or harsh employers can provide the
impetus for organizing and collective action, they can also create a fear
of organizing: fear of losing jobs or livelihoods.
Workplaces and Workers
Unlike a standard workplace around which organization can coalesce,
many informal workers are situated in scattered, individualized work-places
(domestic workers, home-based workers) or are mobile (street
hawkers, street waste pickers, taxi drivers). Their workplaces may be far
flung (farm workers, forest gatherers, waste pickers on landfill sites).
Many have multiple jobs and multiple workplaces. These all make
recruiting members and building democratic structures more difficult,
necessitating new approaches to defining a workplace, new organizing
strategies, structures, communication tools, and dues collection methods.
Many informal workers are poor and focused primarily on sur-vival.
They often work long hours and time spent on organizing can
be income lost for them. The latter is especially true for own account
workers, although many informal waged workers also supplement their
wages with work such as selling, recycling or repairing, and have little
time for organizational work. Solidarity and collective action is not
always a natural tendency among own-account workers as they may be
in competition with each other. Take the case of street vendors selling
the same products in the same street and informal taxi drivers in the
same area competing for customers or the waste pickers on a landfill
site competing for recyclable materials. Therefore, while they may come
together for specific reasons – especially to face the authorities in crisis
situations – this unity of purpose and collective action may be short-lived
unless an ongoing common interest and purpose is identified.
There are many issues faced in common by formal and informal
workers (wages or income, health and safety, social protection, and so
on), but many are different or of differing priority. Safety and security
of person – especially for women – and goods is vital. Own-account
workers must focus on securing their right to livelihoods through access
90 Bonner / Spooner, Organizing in the Informal Economy ipg 2 /2011
5. to urban space (vendors), transport routes (informal taxis), recyclable
materials from discarded garbage (waste pickers), and electricity (home-based
workers). They must prioritize livelihood improvement through
better business opportunities, financial services, and job skills. Because
they have no employment-related social security and have limited or
no access to government schemes, organizations for them may have to
provide services or the means of accessing existing ones. Many traditional
trade unions lack the experience or resources to provide for such needs
and shy away from them. Migrant workers form another large group of
informal workers. Often undocumented and wanting to operate »under
the radar,« they are particularly insecure and vulnerable to exploitation
and harassment and do not fit easily within a traditional union culture.
Leadership
Not all challenges are a consequence of external or livelihood conditions.
Within some sectors and in some countries informal workers have long
organized themselves into local associations. This is commonly the
case with street and market vendors, informal transport workers, rural
workers, fishermen, and so on. However, these associations often do not
have a tradition of democratic functioning: there may be no agreed rules
(constitution) or, where they exist, low levels of compliance; leaders may
be unelected or may not be subject to recall (Roever in Chen et al. 2007:
261); they may also be »controlled« by politicians or even criminals.
Despite their numerical dominance women are routinely kept out of, or
lack the confidence to take up, leadership positions.
This can make it difficult to form larger organizations or to join forces
with trade unions, as long-standing leaders want to retain the power and
privileges that come with leadership and trade unions may be insensitive
to or dismissive of the historical and contextual issues that have in-fluenced
organizational forms and practices and thus unable to provide
the leadership necessary to affect change.
Resources
The vast majority of informal economy workers, particularly women,
have precarious livelihoods and many face extreme poverty. Their ability
to pay regular membership dues is severely restricted and may be erratic
and vulnerable to external shocks (economic crises, natural disasters, and
ipg 2 /2011 Bonner / Spooner, Organizing in the Informal Economy 91
6. so on). Even where organizations have some income stability, it is rarely
sufficient to cover the costs of paid staff, meeting expenses, adequate
premises, and so on. The same is true for many unions of workers in the
formal economy, so that even where informal and formal workers are
organized within the same union, they are rarely financially self-reliant.
Organizing informal workers is therefore seen as a drain on union re-sources
with inadequate financial return in the form of union dues.
Organizing Informal Workers5
Today, informal workers are organized in a variety of ways despite the
difficulties they face, and their organizations are growing. These include
trade unions, workers’ associations outside the formal trade union
movement, cooperatives and other less traditional forms of democratic
worker organization or member based organization (mbo).6 These
mbos are also diverse in geographical coverage, ranging from small
(often fragile) local organizations, to national organizations, federations
and alliances, regional networks and associations, and a variety of inter-national
organizational forms – both inside and outside the formally
constituted institutions of the international trade union movement.
There are two main strategic issues for informal worker organizations:
labor rights and representation (employed and own-account), and eco-nomic
/ business development (more likely to be own-account workers).
These are combined in many informal economy organizations. For ex-ample,
a trade union of informal workers may also set up cooperatives,
and cooperatives may act like a trade union when negotiating with the
authorities.
5. Much of this section is summarized from Bonner and Spooner (2010).
6. Members of the wiego network, along with allies and partners, use the term
»Membership-Based Organisations« (mbo) to describe the range of organizations
in the informal economy. Irrespective of their formal or legal status, these are
organizations representative of members, as distinct from those that advocate or
campaign for workers on their behalf (ngos and so on). An mbo is »of the workers,
by the workers, for the workers, and run, managed and owned by the workers« (sewa
2009).
92 Bonner / Spooner, Organizing in the Informal Economy ipg 2 /2011
7. Trade Unions and Associations
Within the trade union movement, one can find local and national
unions formed by workers in the formal economy that have recruited
informal workers into their membership, and newly-formed unions of
informal workers (see section 4). However, outside the formal trade
union movement there are self-organized unions and myriads of small
local workers’ associations dealing with welfare issues, local taxes, space
allocation, permits, organization of work, and so on. Some associations
are trade unions by any other name, but are unable to legally register
as such, where labor laws exclude workers from trade union structures
unless they are able to demonstrate a clear employment or collective
bargaining relationship. Associations often start to combine at city
or national levels to face authorities with more strength, for example,
the National Association of Street Vendors of India (nasvi), National
Domestic Workers Alliance (ndwa) in usa, and the Federacion Depart-mental
de Vendedores Ambulantes de Lima (Federation of Street Vendors
of Lima – fedeval). In Pune, India, unions of informal workers (street
vendors, waste pickers, domestic workers, head-loaders, auto-rickshaw
and tempo7 drivers, and construction workers) form a city-wide Manual
Labourers’ Association – in effect, a trade union federation of informal
economy workers – that is de facto recognized by the municipal author-ities
as the bargaining counterpart for issues related to the informal
economy.
Cooperatives
Commonly, informal workers form cooperatives, especially in sectors
such as agriculture and waste / recycling. These are found in various
forms: producers’ cooperatives, consumer cooperatives, service or
marketing cooperatives, and so on. Some are formally registered, while
others are less formal. In some instances (for example India), it can be a
very expensive and time-consuming process to register as a cooperative,
and may be subject to considerable state regulation and interference; in
other instances, it may be that the members do not see any advantage
to being formally constituted, or have no knowledge of or contact with
formalized cooperative structures and procedures.
7. Motor-tricycle goods vehicles.
ipg 2 /2011 Bonner / Spooner, Organizing in the Informal Economy 93
8. Trade unions and cooperatives share common principles and values,
while focusing on different aspects of economic empowerment. With the
growth of the informal economy, unions / organizations are increasingly
experiencing the need to straddle the realms of both union and
cooperative. The Self-Employed Women’s Association (sewa) in India
has over one million informal women members and uses a twin strategy
of struggle and development. It is a trade union (struggle for rights), yet
has over 100 cooperatives run by its members combined in a federation of
cooperatives (livelihood development). Similarly, kkpkp (Trade Union
of Waste Pickers, Pune, India), with 6,000 mainly women members,
formed a savings and credit cooperative, scrap shop cooperatives to sell
recyclable materials at a better price, and a solid waste doorstep collection
cooperative to integrate waste pickers into the local solid waste man-agement
system (Samson 2009: 27, 57).
NGOs and Community-Based Organizations
ngos are often important agents and catalysts in the development of
mbos. Many ngos have been established to support informal workers.
There are local and national ngos that concentrate on community or
livelihood development, housing or human rights for which informal
economy workers become the focus of attention. In areas where trade
unions or other mbos have little influence, profile or organizational
strength, ngos may attempt to fill the vacuum – either by advocating or
campaigning on the workers’ behalf, providing support and advice, and/
or establishing some sort of workers’ association.
There are other forms of membership-based organization that combine
the features and strategies of both mbos and ngos in different mixes.
Found among informal workers and those with little or no protection,
they attempt to represent workers left outside mainstream trade union
organizing. These varied organizations range from advocacy-oriented
organizations to quasi-unions8 or associations beginning to act as unions
where they focus on workplace and employment issues, or where they
8. Quasi-unions, »the broad range of organizations that have emerged to represent
the interests of otherwise unrepresented people in their work lives and in their
relationships with their employer, seeking to address matters of worker rights and
to improve working conditions.« »The most frequent organizational form is highly
staff-driven, with a small and dedicated staff and a very loose and shifting member-ship
« (Heckscher and Carré 2006).
94 Bonner / Spooner, Organizing in the Informal Economy ipg 2 /2011
9. may be responding to a range of issues wider than employment. Migrant
domestic workers often come together to seek assistance around their
problems as migrant workers, or for language, social and solidarity
reasons; others form interest groups on the basis of their religious affili-ation
or around their identity and problems as women. Often organizing
with or through ngos, community-based organizations (cbos) or re-ligious
institutions, they develop a form of organization which may be
membership-based, but without a formal membership mechanism and
dues collection system. These nascent mbos often provide a transitional
route to independent informal worker associations and trade unions.
International and National Networks
New hybrid forms of organization also exist at the national and inter-national
levels. In recent years, international networks have been
established between organizations supporting or representing informal
workers in specific sectors. These have differing linkages with the formal
trade union movement.
HomeNet South Asia and HomeNet Southeast Asia are regional net-works
of national »HomeNets«,9 each of which are alliances of national
groups representing or supporting home-based workers. The national
HomeNets vary significantly, with some having a membership almost
entirely of ngos, and others having strong mbos (both associations and
unions) at the core. Although the HomeNets have some national trade
union members, relationships with trade unions, particularly national
centers, remain weak. Nevertheless, there is a growing consensus that
national and regional HomeNets should be answerable to workers’
mbos, including unions. A recent regional meeting of HomeNet South
Asia agreed that »mbos should constitute the majority in the governing
bodies of all Country HomeNets, and of HomeNet South Asia itself […]
(and) form no less than 75 percent in the composition of their respective
governing bodies by December 2012« (hnsa 2010: 18).
In Europe, some unions have homeworkers as members (for example,
ig Metall in Germany) or home-based workers’ organizations have
built an alliance with the trade unions (for example, the Association of
9. HomeNet South Asia is the regional network of »HomeNets« in India, Pakistan,
Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. HomeNet Southeast Asia covers HomeNets
in Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia and Laos. See http://www.
homenetsouthasia.org/index.php and http://www.homenetseasia.org/new.html
ipg 2 /2011 Bonner / Spooner, Organizing in the Informal Economy 95
10. Home-based Workers in Bulgaria is an associate member of the Con-federation
of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria (citub).
The StreetNet International alliance of street vendors was launched
in 2002. Its membership is restricted to mbos directly organizing street
vendors, market vendors, and/or hawkers among their members. It
actively encourages the formation and then affiliation of national
alliances of mbos. It has a clear common agreement on the definition of
a democratic mbo, active democratic governance structures and a quota
to ensure women in leadership positions. As such, it is somewhat akin to
an international union federation of street vendors, yet StreetNet Inter-national
is not structurally integrated into the international trade union
movement, although it retains strong relationships with uni, psi, other
Global Union Federations, and structures of the ituc. It has 35 member
organizations, with its greatest numerical strength in Africa, but has
growing numbers of affiliates in Asia, Latin America, and Europe. It also
has the technical capacity to design, manage, and deliver its own projects
and programs.
In 2004, waste picker associations (primarily cooperatives and
federations of cooperatives) came together to form the Latin America
Waste Picker Network. The network now has representation from
15 countries, including from the Caribbean. There is wide variety in the
composition of national organizations within the network, although all
are mbos, with ngos playing strictly a technical support role. Globally,
an interim international steering committee has been formed to facilitate
global networking, and coordinate global activities, such as participation
in the United Nations Climate Change negotiations. As yet, the net-works
have had little contact with the trade union movement. The Latin
American networks have a strong commitment to independence and
grassroots leadership and the trade union movement tends to be viewed
as bureaucratic, interested only in workers with formal jobs and having
political affiliation. There is, however, a growing interest in working
with the organized labor movement, as expressed in a recent exploratory
meeting with ilo-actrav, and unions with waste pickers as members,
such as sewa, might provide links in the future.
More recently, a number of unions and associations formed the Inter-national
Domestic Workers’ Network (idwn10). In November 2006
an international conference on »Respect and Rights: Protection for
10. See http://www.domesticworkerrights.org/
96 Bonner / Spooner, Organizing in the Informal Economy ipg 2 /2011
11. Domestic Workers!« was held in the Netherlands. Some 60 participants
came from domestic workers’ organizations, networks, trade unions and
support organizations, as well as researchers from all continents. The
conference determined the need for a permanent international network
(irene and iuf, 2008: 25).
At a follow-up meeting in September 2008 a provisional Steering
Committee was formed. The group decided to use the then forthcoming
ilo discussions around an international convention on domestic work as
an organizing tool. Representatives from domestic workers’ trade unions
and organizations attended the 2009 and 2010 International Labour
Conference (ilc) to prepare for and negotiate a new ilo Convention
for domestic workers. Importantly, idwn is supported by, and works
closely with, the iuf, which provides an organizational base for the net-work,
with the status of a self-funded project reporting to the Executive
Committee. Unusually, the iuf agreed to a non-traditional structure
becoming part and parcel of the organization, without insisting that all
of the unions involved should become iuf affiliates.
Informal worker organizations are thus finding creative ways to
deal with the challenges through a variety of organizational forms
and different strategies which are driven by circumstances: context,
sector, organizational and political history, and so on. Through their
organizations they are becoming more visible and are increasingly
making their voices heard on national and international platforms, as
well as improving the situation of their members.
In this organizational mix the support or otherwise of trade
unions organizing and/or supporting informal workers is an important –
sometimes critical – factor that can determine the extent, effectiveness,
and sustainability of an informal worker organization or network.
Unions Rising to the Challenge
Increasing numbers of national and international union organizations are
prepared to support organizing initiatives by informal economy workers.
This is driven both by pressure for support from affiliated unions –
particularly those in the global South, facing huge rises in numbers of
informal workers and shrinking (in some cases virtually disappearing)
membership outside the public sector – and a political commitment to
an inclusive working class movement.
ipg 2 /2011 Bonner / Spooner, Organizing in the Informal Economy 97
12. Shifting Opinion in the International Movement
The Constitution of the International Trade Union Confederation
(ituc), adopted at its founding Congress in 2006, includes a commit-ment
to »initiate and support action to increase the representativeness of
trade unions through the recruitment of women and men working in the
informal as well as the formal economy, through extension of full rights
and protection to those performing precarious and unprotected work,
and through lending assistance to organizing strategies and campaigns«
(ituc 2006: 7). This was followed by some regional programs and
workshops and far greater prominence was given to affiliates’ informal
economy organizing initiatives in ituc media.
There was an attempt at the 2010 ituc Congress to secure a commit-ment
to a more specific program and platform for organizing informal
workers, through a resolution proposed by sewa, the Ghana Trades
Union Congress and the Revolutionary Confederation of Workers and
Peasants (croc) in Mexico – all ituc affiliates that organize, or have
members organizing informal workers.
The motion never reached the Congress floor, but instead a very
much more general clause was included in the composite resolution on
organizing, which deplored the growth of informal and precarious work,
and called upon trade unions »to meet the challenge of organizing all
workers within their respective jurisdictions without distinction as to
employment status … including highly educated workers performing
new jobs that are rarely unionized, just as much as those performing
work in the informal economy and who are unregistered, unrecognized
and excluded, or who are in disguised employment relationships and may
be wrongly defined as self-employed« (ituc 2010).
Whilste this did not provide the strong support to affiliates that sewa,
Ghana tuc, and croc had hoped, it suggests that the issue is growing in
importance for ituc delegates and may provide the impetus and opening
for affiliates and regions of ituc to implement or continue with more
active programs, especially in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Central
and Eastern Europe.
The Global Union Federations are increasingly paying attention to
the issue. The iuf has supported the inclusion of informal workers’
unions for many years, and was the first international union body to
encourage their affiliation (notably of sewa in 1983), actively support the
struggle of informal agricultural workers and homeworkers for rights and
98 Bonner / Spooner, Organizing in the Informal Economy ipg 2 /2011
13. recognition and, more recently, support the international organization of
domestic workers.
The itf 2010 Congress declared:
There is a need to recognize and work with other forms of worker
organization which precarious workers have developed among
themselves, and to link them to the trade union movement. The itf
will develop a 2011–14 strategic plan which will develop networks of
organizations, which could include both unions and associations, which
act on behalf of workers whose livelihoods come from precarious or in-formal
work in the transport sector (itf 2010: 4).
There are practical initiatives, too, by other global union federations. uni
supports unions of street vendors (including partnership with StreetNet
International), informal telecommunications workers (street sellers of
mobile phone cards, and so on), and informal hairdressers / beauticians.
psi is concerned with informal public service workers, such as home care
workers, and has a particular interest in building cooperation between
market traders’ associations and municipal workers’ unions when facing
the privatization (or mutualization) of markets.
bwi supports organizing projects among informal forest products
workers and construction workers. In India, for example, the bwi’s
Global Wood and Forestry Programme supports a project organizing
among Kendu and Sal leaf-pickers,11 led by state-wide affiliated unions of
informal leaf workers (bwi: 2011).
These shifts in policy and activity by international union organizations
are important in setting the »mood« and influencing the activities of their
respective affiliates. It provides the rationale, legitimacy, and mandate
for affiliates or regions to move into action without awaiting agreement
or a comprehensive strategy across the movement. Where the practical
and political reasons are strongest, the unions will take up the challenge.
It also opens the possibility of global unions increasing the priority
given to informal economy organizing when determining priorities for
the deployment of (decreasing) funds from international development
agencies.
11. Kendu leaves are used to wrap bidis (cigarettes); Sal tree leaves are used to make a
variety of products, including bowls and plates. It is a major source of income for
forest-dwellers, particularly in Orissa and Gujerat.
ipg 2 /2011 Bonner / Spooner, Organizing in the Informal Economy 99
14. Translating Policy into Practice: National and Local Organizing Strategies
There is a growing number of informal workers’ unions of varying origins.
Some were created »spontaneously« by informal workers themselves
(sometimes by former trade unionists forced into informal employment
through redundancies, and so on); some by unions traditionally
organizing in the formal economy, but reaching out to organize informal
workers; and some conceived and supported by external actors (women’s
organizations, migrant workers’ organizations, ngos, and so on).
In an increasing number of countries, national trade union centers
play an important direct or indirect role in organizing and representing
informal economy workers. Examples include establishing new unions
or associations to organize in the informal economy, supporting and en-couraging
affiliated unions to organize informal workers, and building
alliances with non-union associations of informal workers.
In some cases, informal economy associations not formally constituted
or registered as trade unions have been encouraged to join national trade
union centers as »associate« members or have signed a Memorandum of
Agreement. This entitles them to have representatives at union meetings,
and to participate in discussions, but with limited constitutional demo-cratic
rights, having no vote.
This close cooperation between national union centers and informal
workers’ organizations significantly enhances informal workers’ effective-ness
in representation, defense of workers’ rights, and international
visibility and support, including:
recognition by local government authorities (for example, Malawi,
Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe) and in some cases
also national government;
voice and representation, even if ad hoc;
means for informal workers to exercise their rights in respect of ilo
Convention No. 87 (Freedom of Association) and Convention No. 98
(the right to organize and bargain collectively);
means for informal workers to affiliate internationally and enjoy inter-national
solidarity;
means for informal workers to be represented in international forums
(for example, ilo Conferences, international trade union meetings)
(Horn 2008: 38).
With the support of national and international trade union organizations
informal workers have been able to influence negotiations on international
100 Bonner / Spooner, Organizing in the Informal Economy ipg 2 /2011
15. standards at the ilo, such as the current negotiations for a convention on
domestic work. Where national and international unions join hands with
informal workers’ organizations in campaigns and solidarity activities
their effectiveness is enhanced. Current examples include the campaign
for domestic workers’ rights and StreetNet International’s »World Class
Cities for All« campaign.
Through the different organizational models and creative strategies,
unions and national centers are tackling some of the challenges identified.
The Ghana Trades Union Congress, for example, has adopted a multi-faceted
approach. It encouraged its affiliates in many sectors to change
their constitutions so that existing associations could affiliate, thus
making recruitment and dues collection simpler. It also encouraged the
principle of »the stronger helping the weaker« through formal workers
cross-subsidizing informal workers (fnv 2003: 32). In negotiations on
the new Labour Act 2003 the Ghana tuc successfully proposed that the
Act should cover all workers rather than »employees« and protections
for casual and temporary workers, thus opening the way for extension to
informal workers (Chen et al. 2005: 99) and in 2003 they were successful
in negotiating a Health Insurance Scheme that provided for both formal
and informal workers (Alfers 2009: 16).
The Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (hkctu) has been
proactive in helping build domestic workers’ unions. But because there
are many migrant domestic workers from different countries, and ngos
supporting the different groups, workers organized into nationality based
unions. On November 21, 2010, following a two-year process facilitated
by the hkctu, local and migrant domestic workers’ unions came together
to inaugurate the Hong Kong Federation of Asian Domestic Workers
Unions (fadwu) (personal communication, Ip Pui Yu).
The support for bwi affiliates in India12 has enabled them to organize
more effectively (okks claims to have organized more than 50 percent of
the estimated 1.8 million kendu leaf workers in Orissa state), leading to
recognition of their status as workers, adoption of identity cards, wage
increases, and health and safety improvements. It has also led to the es-tablishment
of basic social protection (welfare fund, health provisions,
and so on) (bwi: 2011).
12. Orissa Kendupatra Karamchari Sangha (okks), Orissa Forest and Minor Forest
Produce Workers’ Union (ofmfpwu), and Gujurat Forest Products Gatherers and
Forest Workers’ Union (gfpgfwu).
ipg 2 /2011 Bonner / Spooner, Organizing in the Informal Economy 101
16. To overcome the particular challenges associated with organizing in-formal
women workers some unions of and for women informal workers
have been formed, the most notable being sewa in India which has
succeeded in developing a deep layer of confident and effective women
leaders and in making real improvements to the lives of members through
helping to increase income (cooperatives, skills development), provide
social protection (health insurance, child care), financial services (sewa
Bank), and so on.13 In other instances, women have been supported in
taking up leadership positions through constitutional quotas (for ex-ample,
StreetNet) or through active development programs and political
work with men. The role that the international trade union movement
and networks of informal workers can play in promoting gender equality
and women leadership is significant.
Conclusion
In the Nigerian Labour Congress (nlc), 2009, Summit on Organizing in
the Informal Economy, the General Secretary of the Nigeria Automobile
Technicians Association (nata), David Ajetunmobi noted: »Informal
workers need the organizational experience of the trade unions while
unions also need the vast number of informal workers to build more
power to leverage more concessions on larger macroeconomic issues«
(Komolafe and Emeribe 2009).
This neatly sums up the mutual needs and benefits that can or should
result from combining the organizing efforts of formal and informal
workers. And as the nlc summit illustrates, more and more trade
unions – especially in Africa, Asia and Latin America and to some extent
in Central and Eastern Europe (Glovackas 2007) – are recognizing these
mutual needs and benefits and taking organizing in the informal econ-omy
seriously.
Overcoming the very real challenges and organizing effectively will
require a varied and flexible approach incorporating a range of differing
relationships between unions, informal worker associations and
cooperatives, networks and alliances. Most importantly, it requires po-litical
will on the part of union leadership to prioritize organizing workers
13. See Jhabvala, Desai and Dave (2010). Research shows that sewa has made a
difference to the lives of their members.
102 Bonner / Spooner, Organizing in the Informal Economy ipg 2 /2011
17. in the informal economy and to make available the human and financial
resources to do so. It requires new conceptual thinking and new mind
sets on the part of the (mainly male) union leadership – in particular,
a change in patriarchal attitudes – together with concerted awareness-raising
and education among members. It requires an openness and
flexibility with regard to different organizational models, strategies and
activities, the ability to seize new openings and opportunities, and the
building of alliances with informal workers’ organizations and their sup-porters
within and outside the union movement. Finally, it will require
respecting, learning, and taking leadership from informal workers and
unionists who have already organized informal workers – including
women – and creating the opportunities and resources to allow for
learning from each other.
The informal economy is here to stay for the foreseeable future.
Formalization of the informal is a long-term goal of trade unions, but
it is not a short-term solution. It cannot be used as a way of avoiding
responsibility to organize and/or support organizations of informal
workers, who make up the majority of today’s workers. This is not only a
practical necessity but a political choice if the trade unions are to remain
true to their aims and principles, such as the commitment to »securing
comprehensive and equitable economic and social development for
workers everywhere, particularly where poverty and exploitation are
greatest« (ituc 2006: 5).
Informal workers have demonstrated that the immense challenges
to successful organization can be overcome, and that their unions,
cooperatives, and other forms of workers’ association can be just as
effective in asserting and defending their rights and livelihoods as their
counterpart unions in the formal economy.
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