Radical pluralism, high inflation, and trust in historical context: the continued relevance of Fox in understanding UK public sector strikes

IF 2.7 3区 管理学 Q2 INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS & LABOR
Melanie Simms
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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Purpose

The paper uses key themes from Fox’s writing to reflect on the wave of public sector industrial action that developed in the UK since the early 2020s: specifically the relevance of (1) radical pluralism, (2) historical context, (3) understanding the effects of high inflation and (4) (a breakdown of) trust relations.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper draws primarily on evidence from broad public debate but is informed by discussions held with senior union leaders both for a research project and in delivering development training.

Findings

Radical pluralism is used as a lens through which to understand declining trust in institutions of pluralist collective industrial relations in the UK public sector, arguing that current developments need to be understood in historical context. An analysis of the industrial action in the early 2020s highlights the ways that a period of high inflation can stress institutions of collective employment regulation, rendering visible the limits of conventional, pluralist industrial relations.

Research limitations/implications

The paper could be extended by more detailed empirical data collection, both in the UK and other national institutional contexts.

Practical implications

Unions need to more consistently focus on issues of power. A stronger focus on power might identify the limitations of pluralist institutions of collective regulation and embed a commitment to building union influence to challenge those existing structures in favour of mechanisms to build workers' power more broadly.

Social implications

Understanding these disputes as, at least in part, being about the limits to and undermining of trust in collective institutions that regulate work and employment allows us to better understand the forces at play and potential outcomes of these disputes.

Originality/value

The paper makes three key contributions: first, applying Fox’s work in a practical way to contemporary UK industrial relations; second, extending his analyses to public sector industrial relations and third, arguing that power needs to be more centrally located within union objectives in order to reshape industrial relations to radical pluralist ends.

历史背景下的激进多元化、高通胀和信任:福克斯对理解英国公共部门罢工的持续相关性
目的本文利用福克斯著作中的关键主题来反思自 20 世纪 20 年代初以来在英国形成的公共部门工业行动浪潮:特别是(1) 激进多元化、(2) 历史背景、(3) 理解高通胀的影响和 (4) (信任关系破裂)的相关性。研究结果激进多元主义被用作理解英国公共部门多元集体劳资关系机构信任度下降的一个视角,认为需要结合历史背景来理解当前的发展态势。对 2020 年代初工业行动的分析强调了高通胀时期对集体就业监管机构的压力,使传统的多元化劳资关系的局限性显而易见。社会意义将这些争议至少部分地理解为对规范工作和就业的集体机构的限制和信任的破坏,可以让我们更好地理解这些争议的作用力和潜在结果。原创性/价值本文有三个主要贡献:第一,将福克斯的研究成果实际应用于当代英国劳资关系;第二,将其分析扩展到公共部门的劳资关系;第三,认为需要将权力更集中地置于工会目标之内,以重塑劳资关系,实现激进的多元化目标。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
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来源期刊
Employee Relations
Employee Relations Multiple-
CiteScore
6.50
自引率
8.80%
发文量
69
期刊介绍: ■Communication, participation and involvement ■Developments in collective bargaining ■Equal opportunities ■Health and safety ■HRM ■Industrial relations and employment protection law ■Industrial relations management and reform ■Organizational change and people ■Personnel and recruitment ■Quality of working life
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