Trade unions, special structures and the inclusion of migrant workers: on the role of union democracy

Abstract

The article compares migrant structures established in two trade unions in Italy and the Netherlands. The study relies on qualitative data to analyse the extent to and circumstances under which these structures promote the organizational inclusion of migrant workers. The analysis suggests that union procedures based on participatory democracy have a positive effect on organizational inclusion as compared to top-down and centrally driven procedures. The findings underline the importance of trade union support in the functioning of special structures and the relevance of union identity and organizational structure in explaining the differences across these two national cases. The findings also highlight the significance of internally generated resources in balancing the legitimacy and recognition of migrant structures.