Claudia Martínez Mullen – Trade Unions Then and Now
SOCIOLOGY DEPARTMENT
INDUSTRIAL AND ECONOMIC SOCIOLOGY II
1ST TERM 2016
TRADE UNIONS THEN AND NOW:
COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ARGENTINIAN AND SOUTH AFRICAN
TRADE UNIONS AND LABOUR MOVEMENTS
CLAUDIA MARTĺNEZ MULLEN
(c.martinezmullen@ru.ac.za)
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Claudia Martínez Mullen – Trade Unions Then and Now
INTRODUCTION
The key objective of this course is to provide students with a critical introduction
to the study of trade unions and trade unionism. With a particular focus on South
African trade unions during the apartheid and post-apartheid periods, and
Argentinian trade unions during the military government and democratic period,
the course will examine the nature and the role of these unions as workers'
representatives both in the workplace and beyond (i.e. in the broader society),
and how that role is changing in the contemporary period and the future
implications thereof.
With regard to the post-apartheid period and post military government period,
particular attention will be paid to the challenges of the democratic dispensations
in South Africa and Argentina, slow economic growth and high unemployment,
and globalization and its neo-liberal discourse as presented to the trade union
movement and the responses as well as strategies developed by the latter to
meet those challenges.
In pursuing the above objectives, the module will cover the following areas. First,
different theoretical perspectives on trade unions and trade unionism will be
outlined. Attention will be drawn to theoretical accounts of the origins, the nature
and the role of trade unions in society as well as the factors that influence them.
This will be followed by a historical overview of trade unions and trade unionism
in South Africa during the apartheid era and in Argentina during the military
period. Attention will be drawn to questions such as the political and economic
context and the ideologies: i.e. national-populism, socialism, communism, etc.,
that shaped and influenced the development of trade unions and trade unionism,
the issues with which they were confronted, and the strategies and approaches
they adopted to address those issues.
This will pave the way for the subsequent discussion and analysis of the changes
that trade unions in South Africa and Argentina have undergone from the 1980s
to the current period as they were integrated into the global economic crisis and
the international labour movement.
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Claudia Martínez Mullen – Trade Unions Then and Now
COURSE OBJECTIVES
To provide students with:
- An understanding of key perspectives on trade unions
- A recognition of the different ideologies that influenced trade unions
- An appreciation of the historic and contemporary roles played by trade
unions
- A comparative analysis of the different historical events experienced by
the labour movements in South Africa and Argentina
- An examination of the different policies created to improve labour and
employment
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
-
Read the chapters, articles and books for this course
# Compulsory materials for lectures
Participation in class discussions is compulsory
Write all the class tests
Write the essay
Note: you will be able to write the exam only if you comply with the course
requirements. There is no re-write for each test. Absence is equivalent to zero. In
case of justified absence – prior submission of pertinent relevant documentation,
the lecture will arrange with the student a proper time in order to write the missed
test. You are allowed to write only one of the three test in case of absence.
Exceptional cases will be analyses separately.
ASSESSMENT
-
There will be three short tests related to the class readings and lectures during
lecture time [20% each - 60%]
An essay submitted during the last week of the course. Critical thinking is an
essential requirement for the essay [40%]
An examination
Read very carefully the HANDOUT NUMBER 1, GENERAL INFORMATION
AND DEPARTMENTAL RULES, page 9, point 5.2 Duly Performed Certificate
(D.P.) This point states all the necessary requirements in order to obtain a
DP certificate for this course
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Claudia Martínez Mullen – Trade Unions Then and Now
PLAGIARISM
Plagiarism, without exception, will get zero. Ignorance of plagiarism rules is not
an excuse. Repeated plagiarism will lead to a disciplinary hearing and if found
guilty, your name be placed on file in Sociology as well as cognate disciplines. In
extreme cases, the matter will be escalated to University level, with suspension
and expulsion from the university as possible outcomes. It is your responsibility
to familiarize yourself with the university policy on plagiarism. See the University
Plagiarism Policy on http://www.scifac.ru.ac.za/plag.htm. You may subscribe to
available software in the university to be sure. Contact the Centre for Higher
Education Research, Teaching and Learning (CHERTL) for details.
THEME 1: THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES ON TRADE
UNIONS AND THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
# Clarke, T. and Cements, L. (eds), (1977) Trade Unions under Capitalism.
London: Fontana/Collins (Chapters: Introduction, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6).
Geras, N. (1983) "The Mass Strike" in The Legacy of Rosa Luxembourg. London:
Verso.
# Hyman, R. (1971) Marxism and the Sociology of Trade Unionism. London:
Pluto Press (Introduction).
Hyman, R. (1975) Industrial Relations: A Marxist Introduction. London: Macmillan
Press (Chapters 2 and 6).
Hyman, R. (1989) The Political Economy of Industrial Relations - Theory and
Practice in a Cold Climate. Basingstoke and London: MacMillan Press (Chapters
1, 2, 3, 4 and 5).
# Kelly, J. (1988) Trade Unions and Socialist Politics. London: Verso (Chapters:
1, 2, 3 and 4).
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Claudia Martínez Mullen – Trade Unions Then and Now
THEME 2: TRADE UNIONS AND TRADE UNIONISM IN
APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA
# Baskin, J. (1991) Striking Back: A History of COSATU. Johannesburg: Ravan
Press (Chapters, 1, 2 and 3).
Fine, R. and Davis, D. (1990) Beyond Apartheid: Labour and Liberation in South
Africa. London: Pluto Press (Chapters 6 and 11).
# Friedman, S. (1987) Building Tomorrow Today: African Workers in Trade
Unions, 1970-1984. Johannesburg: Ravan Press (Chapters 1, 2, 4, 5, 10 and
16).
Lawson, L. (ed), (1992) No Turning Back: Fighting for Gender Equality in the
Unions. Johannesburg: Lacom.
Maree, J. (ed), (1987) The Independent Trade Unions 1974 – 1984: Ten years of
the South African Labour Bulletin. Johannesburg: Ravan Press (Chapters
introduction, 1, 2, 3 and 4).
# Von Holdt, K. (2003) Transition from Below: Forging Trade Unionism and
Workplace Change in South Africa. Pietermaritzburg: University of Natal Press.
Webster, E. (1985) Cast in a Racial Mould: Labour Process and Trade Unionism
in the Foundries. Johannesburg: Ravan Press.
# Webster, E. (1993) Work and Industrialization in South Africa: An Introductory
Reader. Johannesburg: Ravan Press (Chapters 6 and 7).
Webster, E. (ed), (1978) Essays in Southern African Labour History.
Johannesburg: Ravan Press.
THEME 3: PERONISM, POPULISM, MILITARY
GOVERNMENTS AND WORKER MOVEMENTS
Della Paolera, G. and Taylor, A. (2006) A New Economic History of Argentina.
Cambridge and New York: Cambridge University Press.
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Claudia Martínez Mullen – Trade Unions Then and Now
# Di Tella, G and Dornbusch, R, (1989) The Political Economy of Argentina 1946
– 1983. London: MacMillan Press (Chapters 5, 11 and 12).
# James, D. (1988) Resistance and Integration: Peronism and the Argentinean
Working Class, 1946-1976. New York and Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press (Chapters 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10).
# Munck, R. and Falcon, R. (1987) From Anarchism to Peronism: Workers,
Unions and Politics 1855 – 1985. London: Zed Books (Chapters 11, 12, 13, 14,
15, 16 and 17).
THEME 4: TRANSITION TO DEMOCRACY
SOUTH AFRICA
# Adler, G. and Webster, E. (Eds), (2000) Trade Unions and Democratization in
South Africa, 1985-1997. Basingstoke: St Martin Press (Chapters introduction, 2
and 6).
# Baskin, J. (1993) Corporatism: Some Obstacles Facing the South African
Labour Movement. Johannesburg: Centre for Policy Studies.
# Baskin, J. (ed), (1996) Against the Current: Labour and Economic Policy in
South Africa. NALEDI, Johannesburg: Ravan Press.
# Von Holdt, K. (1992) What is the Future of Labour? South African Labour
Bulletin. 16 (8). p. 30-37
Von Holdt, K. (1993) The Dangers of Corporatism. South African Labour Bulletin,
17 (1). p. 46-51.
Von Holdt, K. (1995) 'The LRA Agreement - 'Worker Victory' or 'Miserable
Compromise''. South African Labour Bulletin. 19 (4). p. 16-26.
Webster, E. and Von Holdt, K. (2005) Beyond the Apartheid Workplace: Studies
in Transition. Scottsville: University of KwaZulu Natal Press.
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Claudia Martínez Mullen – Trade Unions Then and Now
THEME 5: TRADE UNIONS, WORKER MOVEMENTS AND
‘DEMOCRACY’ IN SOUTH AFRICA
Adler, G. (2000) Engaging the State and Business: The Labour Movement and
Co-determination in Contemporary South Africa. Johannesburg: Witwatersrand
University Press (Chapters 1, 2, 4 and 9).
Barchiesi, F. (1999) Economic Adjustment, Political Institutionalism and Social
Marginalisation: COSATU and the First Democratic Government (1994-1999).
Transformation. 38. p. 20-48.
# Buhlungu, S. (2006) Trade Unions and Democracy: COSATU Workers’ Political
Attitudes in South Africa. Cape Town: HSRC Press.
# Buhlungu, S. and Malehoko, T. (eds), (2012) COSATU’s Contested Legacy:
South African Trade Unions in the Second Decade of Democracy. Cape Town:
HSRC Press.
# Bramble, T. and Barchiesi, F. (eds), (2003) Rethinking the Labour Movement in
the 'New’ South Africa. Aldershot: Ashgate (Introduction and Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4,
5, 6 and7).
# Seeking, J. (2004) Trade Unions, Social Policy & Class Compromise in PostApartheid South Africa. Review of African Political Economy. 31 (100). p. 299312.
# Von Holdt, K. (2003) Transition from Below: Forging Trade Unionism and
Workplace Change in South Africa. Pietermaritzburg: University of Natal Press
(Chapters 7 8, 9, 10 and 11).
# Von Holdt, K. (2002) Social Movement Unionism: The case of South Africa.
Work, Employment and Society. 16 (2). p. 284-304.
Webster, E. Lambert, R. and Bezuidenhout, A. (2008) Grounding Globalization:
Labour in the Age of Insecurity. Malden and Oxford: Blackwell Publication
(Preface, Chapters 3, 5 and 9).
# Webster, E. and Buhlungu, S. (2004) Between Marginalisation and
Revitalisation? The State of Trade Unionism in South Africa. Review of African
Political Economy. 31 (100). p. 229-245.
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Claudia Martínez Mullen – Trade Unions Then and Now
THEME 6: TRADE UNIONS, WORKER MOVEMENTS AND
‘DEMOCRACY’ IN ARGENTINA
Video: The Take – 1h30 (Argentina)
# Atzeni, M. and Ghigliani, P. (2007) Nature and Limits of Trade Unions’
Mobilizations in Contemporary Argentina. In: Craig Phelan (ed), Trade Unions’
Revitalisation: Trends and Prospects in 34 Countries. Bern and Oxford: Peter
Lang. p 1-13.
Chrabolowsky, L. (2003) Engendering Trade Unions and Social Movements, New
Proposals of Social Inclusion in Argentina. Connecticut: Carleton University
Press.
D'Elia, L.A. (2006) Citizens Educating Themselves: The Case of Argentina in the
Post-economic Collapse Era. Journal of Contemporary Issues in Education. 1(2).
p. 38-48.
# Etchemendy, S. and Collier, R. (2007) Down but not Out: Union Resurgence
and Segmented Neo-corporatism in Argentina (2003-2007). Politics and Society.
35 (3). p. 363-401.
# Iñigo Carrera, J. (2006) Argentina: The Reproduction of Capital Accumulation
through Political Crisis. Historical Materialism. 14 (1). p. 185-219.
# Marshall, A. and Perelman, L. (2008) “Why Union Revitalization” is not an Issue
in Argentina? Labour Institutions and the Effectiveness of Traditional Trade Union
Recruitment Strategies. Buenos Aires: Instituto de Desarrollo Económico y
Social.
# Patroni, V. (2001) The Decline and Fall of Corporatism? Labour Legislation
Reform in Mexico and Argentina during the 1990's. Canadian Journal of Political
Science/Revue Canadienne de Science Politique. XXXIV (2). p. 249-274.
# Ranis, P. (2005) Argentina's Worker-Occupied Factories and Enterprises,
Socialism and Democracy. 19 (3). p. 1-13.
Serdar, A. (2011) Strategies for Revitalizing Labour Movements: Union
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Claudia Martínez Mullen – Trade Unions Then and Now
Organizing and Building Alliances with Community in Argentina. Economic and
Industrial Democracy. 33 (3). p. 403-420.
THEME 7: NATIONALISM, NATIONAL POPULISM AND
INTERNATIONALISM
# Germani, G. (2013) Authoritarianism, Fascism and National Populism,
translated by Celarent B. American Journal of Sociology. Vol. 119, No. 2.
(September 2013), pp. 590-596
# Mathekga, R. (2007) The ANC ‘leadership Crisis’ and the age of Populism in
Post- Apartheid South Africa, Chapter 7. African Politics: Beyond the Third Wave
of Democratisation. http://www.clearcontent.co.za/storage/files/prev_chapter7.pdf
# Panizza, F. (ed.) (2005) Populism and the mirror of Democracy. London:
Verso, Ch. 1, 8 and 10.
Sutcliffe, J. (2012) Labour movements in the global South: a prominent role in
struggles against neoliberal globalisation? In Interface: a journal for and about
social movements. (November, 2012) Volume 4 (2): 52 – 60
Webster, E. Lambert, R. and Bezuidenhout, A. (2008) Grounding Globalization:
Labour in the Age of Insecurity. Malden and Oxford: Blackwell Publication.
ESSAY
Students have to submit an essay on the last Friday of the term (no later than
14H00). The essay should be 8 pages long, and should be typed in 1.5 line
spacing. You must use at least 15 articles/chapters from the prescribed
readings. Failure to use class materials in responding the question will impact in
your essay mark. Essay questions will be given to the students four weeks before
the term ends.
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