Union–Member Engagement in Cambodia's Construction Sector

Abstract

This article argues for the concept of adaptive unionism as a useful way to explore the pragmatic, often short-term approach that unions adopt just to survive in many parts of the Global South, exploring the impact of an adaptive approach through a comparative study of the Building and Wood Workers Trade Union Federation of Cambodia's relationships with its members in cement factories and on construction sites. In doing so, the article contributes to theoretical discussions within industrial relations by challenging the largely unquestioned focus on processes of revitalization, which assume prior union strength and posit a long-term strategy of renewal.