Human Resource Management within a Trade Union Context

Abstract

Abstract The purpose of this chapter is to profile trade unions and their activities across a range of countries to illustrate the importance of context. In particular, the chapter focuses on providing contextual information on levels of trade union density (both at the national level and within organizations), levels of trade union engagement (trade union recognition), levels of influence that trade unions have within the workplace, and levels of collective bargaining. The chapter draws on a wide range of sources, including sources that report national-level statistics on trade union density and collective bargaining coverage (the ICTWSS); organizational-level data on trade union engagement and influence (the Cranet surveys); and individual-level data reporting on the influence of trade unions in the workplace (European Social Survey). The data predominantly reveal a picture of diversity across countries in relation to trade union activity and collective bargaining, although declining levels of trade union density and collective bargaining coverage are common to many countries. By drawing on a wide range of sources and countries, the chapter reveals the need for a much deeper analysis of trade unions within national contexts and a much “thicker approach” to comparative analysis.