Trade unions as political actors

Abstract

"Modern trade unions act in two arenas: the state and politics on the one hand, and the labour market and collective bargaining on the other. The relative importance of their economic and political activities differs between countries and world regions, as well as historically and between types of unions. So do the way and the extent to which union action in the two arenas is coordinated. The dominant kind of trade union as it emerged from the second postwar settlement after 1945 no longer claimed a right or reserved the option to overthrow the governmnt of the state through a political strike. In this they paid tribute to the superior legitimacy of free elections as compared to 'direct action' of the organized working class. Today more or less explicit constitutional law makes it illegal for unions - within the limits of usually complex legal rules - to strike in the context of disputes with employers and in pursuit of collective agreements on wages and working conditions." (excerpt)