Trade Unions in Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives: What Shapes Their Participation?

Deborah Martens,Annelien Gansemans,Marijke D'Haese,Jan Orbie

doi:10.3390/su10114295

Deborah Martens, Annelien Gansemans + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/su10114295

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Journal: Sustainability	Publication Date: Nov 20, 2018
Citations: 7	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Ghent University

Abstract

There is a growing concern about the extent to which multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs), designed to improve social and environmental sustainability in global supply chains, give a meaningful voice to less powerful stakeholders. Trade unions are one particular civil society group whose participation in MSIs has received little scholarly attention so far. The objective of this paper is to examine the determinants that enable and constrain trade union participation in MSIs. Based on interviews, focus groups, observations and document analysis we determine local trade union participation in three MSIs, operating at company, national and transnational level respectively, in the Costa Rican pineapple industry. To explain the limited encountered trade union participation, an analytical framework is developed combining structural and agency dimensions, namely the MSI design and trade union’s power resources. The findings show shortcomings in the representativeness, procedural fairness and consensual orientation in the design and implementation of the MSIs. These are, however, not sufficient to explain weak trade union participation as trade union power resources also have an influence. Strong network embeddedness and improved infrastructural resources had a positive effect, whereas the lack of internal solidarity and unfavourable narrative resources constrained the unions’ participation.

Highlights

Multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) aiming at improving environmental and social sustainability are omnipresent throughout different supply chains, from the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil to the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety in textiles
While there was no substantial participation of unions in the case of the Platform, unions could express their position in the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI)-case
The Central American trade unions’ substantial participation to the Civil Society Meetings (CSMs) has been very limited, their procedural participation is on the rise in less formalised meetings

Summary

Introduction

Multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) aiming at improving environmental and social sustainability are omnipresent throughout different supply chains, from the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil to the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety in textiles This form of governance is supposed to have greater legitimacy because they involve a diversity of stakeholders, including civil society, public and private actors [1,2,3,4]. MSIs aim to be inclusive and to reach the deliberative ideal where arguments overcome power dynamics, there is a considerable risk that existing power asymmetries are reproduced and that only powerful actors determine the course of action [11] This point of critique has been raised in several studies concluding that the voices of less powerful actors, such as small farmers or local communities, are often not heard in MSIs [1,12]. They are, relevant and legitimate participants when social concerns, especially labour rights issues, are considered in the initiatives

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Discussion

Conclusion