XIX ISA World Congress of Sociology (July 15-21, 2018)

788

Labour Organizations and Social Movements: Cross-Movement Networks

RC47 Social Classes and Social Movements (host committee)

Language: English

Alliances, cooperation, joint mobilization between trade unions and social movements are essential to cope with the power of global capital, neoliberal hegemony and right wing radicalization around the globe.
Economic activities, organized by flexible workflows with a powerful financial system at international level, are increasingly out of the democratic spaces of action. The development model is more and more driven by the market and people feel that they cannot govern the economic forces. We are in front of a crisis of industrial relations, of social dialogue and, at general level, of democracy.
Unemployment, precariousness, fragmentation, insecurity, new forms of exploitation and commodification are key challenges in the world of work. Social life is characterized by a rise in inequalities and a reduction in social protections, with tensions towards racism, xenophobia and nationalism as quick answers to the weakness of the nation-states.
Social movements and labour organizations condemn this situation demanding real democracy, social justice, dignity at work and universal rights. There are several experiences of synergies but also many difficulties to build wide collective actions to cope with the power of the global market at one side and the rising of nationalism on the other.
This session discuss the following questions:
What are innovative strategies and limits of cross-movement networks to cope with these challenges at local and international level?
How labour can strengthen the networks with other social movements?
What are the relations between labour and human rights, working and social life, labour and other social movements?