Community unionism
Formation of alliances between unions and non-labour groups / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Community unionism, also known as reciprocal unionism, refers to the formation of alliances between unions and non-labour groups in order to achieve common goals.[1] These unions seek to organize the employed, unemployed, and underemployed.[2] They press for change in the workplace and beyond, organizing around issues such as welfare reform, health care, jobs, housing, and immigration. Individual issues at work are seen as being a part of broader societal problems which they seek to address. Unlike trade unions, community union membership is not based on the workplace- it is based on common identities and issues.[2] Alliances forged between unions and other groups may have a primary identity based on affiliations of religion, ethnic group, gender, disability, environmentalism, neighborhood residence, or sexuality.[1]
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Community unionism has many definitions and practices.[3][4] It varies according to country, institutional and political contexts, internal organization, leadership, scale, organizing style, sources of funding, and communication structure.[4] In all, there is no "universal" community union;[5] they take on many different forms.[3] In order to simplify the complex structures of community unions, four categories have been established (although in practice community unions may blur the boundaries of these classifications):[4]
- Community organization/ no union partner:[4] This consists of community based efforts to organize around workplaces. It may also include new initiatives created by already established community organizations.[6]
- Labour union(s)/ no community partner:[4] This category is composed of new union locals or new initiatives undertaken as part of a labour union organizing strategy. These organizations seek the support of community institutions but do not form a joint effort with them.[6]
- Community/labour partnership but with community organization dominant:[4] This organization is based on mutual self-interest. Unions and community work together to improve conditions in the labour market through economic and political action. In these partnerships, community leadership dominates the practice of the organization.[6]
- Community/labour partnership but with labour union dominant:[4] This organization differs from the one previously mentioned in that union leadership dominates the practice of the organization.[6]
A part of the discourse of why community unionism has many definitions is in the ambiguity of the word "community" itself.[3][4] In "Coalitions and Community Unionism", Tattersall breaks the word "community" into three elements which may help in understanding community unions better: as organizations, common interest and identity, and place.[4]