Introduction
While the global economy does not constitute an institutional vacuum, the
institutions that populate it are weighted heavily towards the interests of the
private fi rm. Workers have oft en looked to states to protect their interests
in their highly unbalanced relations as small human beings with large employing
organizations. At national level in democracies this has oft en been a
partly successful strategy, as democratic governments have to pay attention to
mass demands, even though corporations will also have major infl uence with
governments because of the dependence of the latter on them for economic
success. But global society is far from being democratic. With the exception
of the International Labour Organization (ILO), few international agencies
even have the condition of labour within their responsibilities. In this context
workers need to look to that other force that has safeguarded their interests
in various political contexts: representation by trade unions within relations
of collective bargaining with employers. Th is too is, however, extremely
weak at the transnational level. Even where labour can organize (which is by
no means the case in all parts of the world), it can only with great diffi culty
achieve links and solidarities going beyond national level.
To understand both the challenges and possibilities facing transnational
collective bargaining, it is necessary to spend some time considering
the place of the transnational corporation (TNC). Th is will be seen to be a
structure that transcends both the polity and the market, presenting major
IntroductionWhile the global economy does not constitute an institutional vacuum, theinstitutions that populate it are weighted heavily towards the interests of theprivate fi rm. Workers have oft en looked to states to protect their interestsin their highly unbalanced relations as small human beings with large employingorganizations. At national level in democracies this has oft en been apartly successful strategy, as democratic governments have to pay attention tomass demands, even though corporations will also have major infl uence withgovernments because of the dependence of the latter on them for economicsuccess. But global society is far from being democratic. With the exceptionof the International Labour Organization (ILO), few international agencieseven have the condition of labour within their responsibilities. In this contextworkers need to look to that other force that has safeguarded their interestsin various political contexts: representation by trade unions within relationsof collective bargaining with employers. Th is too is, however, extremelyweak at the transnational level. Even where labour can organize (which is byno means the case in all parts of the world), it can only with great diffi cultyachieve links and solidarities going beyond national level.To understand both the challenges and possibilities facing transnationalcollective bargaining, it is necessary to spend some time consideringthe place of the transnational corporation (TNC). Th is will be seen to be astructure that transcends both the polity and the market, presenting major
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