Labour, Power, and Politics

Across the globe, workers are mobilizing again on a scale not seen in decades, in response to stagnating wages, growing inequality, increasing job insecurity, and eroding working conditions. But unlike previous waves of labour mobilization, we have not seen a rise of the political left or openings for expanded social policy. Instead, we have seen a politics of retrenchment and the rise of the far right. Traditional labour and left parties are imploding, while new left parties have struggled to find working-class support. Meanwhile, unions themselves remain on the defensive, even as they enjoy popular support.

Does this mark a shift in the relation between labour movements and politics? If so, then why is this happening? Are there common factors across countries? Where and why are there divergences?

This session will explore different dimensions of this seeming paradox in comparative and historical perspective. Possible papers could explore, among other themes:

• Labour’s changing role in the political realm
• Changing working-class voting behaviour (i.e. “dealignment”)
• Labour and political education
• Re-examinations of party-class relations in the “golden age” of social democracy
• Cross-union or cross-national examinations of dynamics of labour mobilization
• Positive and negative case studies of worker political mobilization