何が個人加盟ユニオンの組織存続を 可能にするのか

GUのA支部における動員戦略に着目して

抄録

This paper aims to show how “peripheral” workers are linked with labor unions through examining a case study of the A branch, General Union (GU). With increasing the number of “peripheral” workers included foreign workers, Individual Affiliate Unions (IAUs) which are open to any category or nationality rise in Japan. Nowadays, these kinds of union are needed in order to improve their labor condition and surroundings. Yet, many unions are suffering badly from organizing their members because their membership is very fluid. Many previous studies have shown the negative situation of the unions from the field level, but they haven't figured out the solution yet. However, studies of Social Movement Unionism (SMU), which tries to deal with IAUs as social movements and focus on the grassroots recruitment, are piled up. Therefore this paper examines the mobilizing strategy using the worker's individual networks, which are formed in their workplace in recruiting new members from the perspective of the social movement theory, especially mobilizing structure theory. The finding shows that after the establishment of organizing the A branch a mobilizing strategy through individual networks which the union members have enables the A branch to keep stable membership. The A branch puts great effort into their strategic recruitment by involving rank and file members many kinds of recruitment-oriented activities such as leafleting. This paper concludes that recruitment through individual networks which the union members have is very important for IAUs, like GU because their organizational base is mostly weak. This study is characterized by focusing on the “mobilizing structure” of the union from the perspective of the social movement theory. This view will bring some new perspective on considering how “peripheral” workers are linked with labor unions.