Between Class and Market

Examines questions such as what explains the enormous variation in unionization and why has the period from the mid-1980s been so hostile to organized labour? The text analyzes labour union organization in 18 capitalist democracies from 1950 to 1990. It combines insights from sociology and economics, viewing unions as the joint product of market forces and political and economic institutions. The book argues that three institutional conditions are essential for union growth: strong working-class political parties; centralized collective bargaining; and union-run unemployment insurance. These conditions shaped the market currents and explain variations across industries, across countries and over time.