The Hope for New Solidarity: Migrant Unionization in Poland
The Hope for New Solidarity: Migrant Unionization in Poland
Monday, 7 July 2025: 11:30
Location: SJES023 (Faculty of Legal, Economic, and Social Sciences (JES))
Oral Presentation
Existing research suggests that the relationship between unions and migrant workers has not been straightforward or without tension. On the one hand, unionization has been made difficult by the high turnover of migrant workers, migrants' orientation toward maximizing short-term financial benefits, ethnic (and language) barriers, and the segmentation of the workforce. On the other hand, unions have traditionally focused on the interests of core local workers and have faced organizational and financial dilemmas about the rationale and ways to integrate migrant workers into their ranks.
Drawing from biographical-interviews with 35 migrants working in industries such as logistics, care, retail, and hospitality, as well as 23 expert interviews with trade union leaders, we aim to explore the mechanisms of migrants’ unionization in Poland as a country that has recently transitioned from being an emigration state to an immigration state.
The analysis of the collected biographical and expert interviews allows us to contribute to the debate on the subjective and objective conditions for organizing migrant workers. Subjective barriers include a weak awareness of the role of trade unions, a strong individualization and pragmatization of migrants' life strategies, as well as the "normalization" of precariousness, reinforced by a belief in the discourse of meritocracy and entrepreneurship. Objective challenges include the low visibility of migrant workers in public discourse and the reluctance of unions to invest in organizing migrant workers as it rarely results in significant membership growth due to high turnover and the temporary nature of migrant work.
However, by examining two recent cases - unions formed by couriers and South American workers - we identify ways to overcome these obstacles. A participatory approach, coupled with extensive cooperation with NGOs that have built trust with migrant workers, as well as the emergence of new migrant worker activists, emerge as key factors in successful organizing efforts.
Drawing from biographical-interviews with 35 migrants working in industries such as logistics, care, retail, and hospitality, as well as 23 expert interviews with trade union leaders, we aim to explore the mechanisms of migrants’ unionization in Poland as a country that has recently transitioned from being an emigration state to an immigration state.
The analysis of the collected biographical and expert interviews allows us to contribute to the debate on the subjective and objective conditions for organizing migrant workers. Subjective barriers include a weak awareness of the role of trade unions, a strong individualization and pragmatization of migrants' life strategies, as well as the "normalization" of precariousness, reinforced by a belief in the discourse of meritocracy and entrepreneurship. Objective challenges include the low visibility of migrant workers in public discourse and the reluctance of unions to invest in organizing migrant workers as it rarely results in significant membership growth due to high turnover and the temporary nature of migrant work.
However, by examining two recent cases - unions formed by couriers and South American workers - we identify ways to overcome these obstacles. A participatory approach, coupled with extensive cooperation with NGOs that have built trust with migrant workers, as well as the emergence of new migrant worker activists, emerge as key factors in successful organizing efforts.