Wanted: a New Trade Unionism for Europe

By Peter Fairbrother

Trade unions have to change radically. After several decades of growth and economic militancy, unions have suffered major defeats while employers, aided by neo-liberal regulatory changes, have been able to push major changes in working conditions and pay systems.

The dramatic alteration of Eastern Europe has impacted strongly on Western European unions. Some of the challenges can be lumped under such headings as:

· Restructuring of the public sector and privatisation

· Flexibility as employers demand rather than as employees would like

· Migration: into Europe and within Europe

Union responses to these socio-economic changes have included merger, serve union development, encouragement of social dialogue and the growth of movement and community unionism

(Eurotopia; issue 1, 2005)