Lokala fack i globala företag : Electrolux verkstadsklubb i Motala och koncernfacket 1925-1985

• Since the 1970's the union movement has regarded international business as a threat to union interests, democratic values and national independence. The union movement has mentioned two methods of defence against influence of international businesses: to introduce societal restrictions on a national or international level and to establish international (corporate) group unions. At the same time it is important to note that international entrepreneurship has occurred much earlier than 1970. The overall aim with this dissertation is to study labour union practice in an international corporate group in the years 1925-1985.The main sources of information are collected from the union archives, which are located in Folkrörelsearkivet in Motala. The Electrolux local union in Motala was founded in 1925, the same year as the corporation started in Motala. Despite the fact that the group structure was affecting the activity at the corporation to a considerable degree, the local union did not take interest in these questions until the 1960's. The jointwork council agreement and the council that was established in Motala were crucial to lift the perspective of the local union to also include group issues. The Electrlux group union was founded in 1946, initiated by the local union in Motala. The primary motive for this was to create a new forum where traditional union issues could be pursued towards the group management. During the 197o's and the 198o's the group union activities changed. There aretwo explanations for this change. The Electrolux group was expanding drastically, new and bigger companies were purchased and the group extended its product areas. The other explanation is the vast changes in labour-market policy that occurred in Sweden at this time. In that way the group union increased their insight in the group activities, and also improved their prerequisites for organising their activity. The group union extended its activity to embrace also the Nordic countries. The dissertation shows that the Electrolux group union had large difficulties meeting the challenges generated by the group structure. This was mainly caused by a number of structural obstacles. Union division; the national differences regarding organisation, culture, language and ideology were too big. There were also structural obstacles for the solidarity between the union organisations. Solidarity with colleagues collided with national and regional egoism. The union structure was also an obstacle. Irrespective of the organisation of the national unions, from line of business, political view or occupation it was obvious that international corporations were organised based on a different principal.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Annan samhällsvetenskap -- Tvärvetenskapliga studier inom samhällsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Other Social Sciences -- Social Sciences Interdisciplinary (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

unions

local union organisations

group union

union organisation

multinational corporation

global (corporate) groups

group logic

structural obstacles

verkstadsklubbar

multinationella företag

fackföreningar

verkstadsindustri

internationalisering

historia

INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH AREAS

TVÄRVETENSKAPLIGA FORSKNINGSOMRÅDEN

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