Patterns of Articulation Between Transnational Workplace Employee Representatives and Trade Unions: Coordination and Trade Union Networks

Abstract

Trade union articulation at the transnational level has a number of starting points. One is the activity of trade union coordinators, who provide support for international representative bodies. These are appointed by the European trade union federations, although they are officials of national trade unions. Their significance for transnational representation is modest, however. This is due to the scarcity of time they can make available and the fact that they are obliged to concentrate on their national duties. Secondly, trade unions can take on a higher profile during episodes of restructuring and transnational employee mobilisation; in this case, transnational coordination becomes a core function and is exercised by the European trade union federations. Transnational trade union networks, finally, are the most active form of transnational trade union articulation in multinational companies (MNCs). However, they require trade unions to make international work a much greater priority for their national organisations.