Abstract
Internationally, the 1980s marked a shift in economic policy. In the Netherlands, it was the decade of the supposedly moderate neoliberal turn and of the first round of flexibilization. Nowadays, the degree of flexibility of the Dutch labour market is exceptionally high compared to neighbouring countries. This article examines how the trade union movement in the 1980s responded to increasing flexibilization, which strategy was used, and how this contributed to early Dutch flexibilization. In contrast to the literature with an institutional perspective, this article analyzes the trade union movement from a social-historical perspective and as a social movement organization. As a result, it argues that the effects of rising flexibilization were signalled very early on within the trade unions. Be that as it may, both the priorities that followed from the agreements with employer organizations and the internal dynamics, were decisive for the trade union movement’s relatively late and unassertive responses towards the flexibilization of labour in the 1980s.
Highlights
The 1980s marked a shift in economic policy
The degree of flexibility of the Dutch labour market is exceptionally high compared to neighbouring countries
This article examines how the trade union movement in the 1980s responded to increasing flexibilization, which strategy was used, and how this contributed to early Dutch flexibilization
Summary
Uit het onderzoeksrapport Precaire Polder blijkt dat een groep vrouwen binnen de FNV vrij snel aan de bel trok nadat dat zij begin jaren tachtig met flexibelere arbeid te maken kregen.[41] In 1983 richtte het FNV-Secretariaat voor vrouwelijke werknemers de FNV-brede werkgroep Marflex op die begon aan een inventarisatie van flexibel werk. In het gecoördineerde arbeidsvoorwaardenbeleid voor 1985 en 1986 stond dat ten dele sprake was van een positieve ontwikkeling. Interne functionele flexibilisering moest worden bereikt door: ‘minder hiërarchische niveaus, een minder rigide opsplitsing van het werk in functies en taken’ en ‘voortdurende aandacht voor om-, her-, bijscholing’. Een belangrijke oorzaak hiervoor was dat de opkomst van flexibilisering in verband stond met een andere kwestie waarop de FNV in deze periode haar pijlen richtte
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