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Trade Union Internationalism in the Age of Seattlevieuxcmaq, Lundi, Novembre 6, 2000 - 12:00
Peter Waterman (waterman@antenna.nl)
It is widely recognised within and around the labour movement that labour (as wage work, as class identity, in the trade union form, as a partner in industrial relations, as a radical-democratic social movement, as a part of civil society) is in profound crisis. Even more is this the case for labour as an international movement at a time in which the old international capitalist order is being challenged by the new global capitalist disorder. Introduction: three internationalisms It is widely recognised within and around the labour movement that labour (as wage work, as class identity, in the trade union form, as a partner in industrial relations, as a radical-democratic social movement, as a part of civil society) is in profound crisis. Even more is this the case for labour as an international movement at a time in which the old international capitalist order is being challenged by the new global capitalist disorder. Recovery requires a critique of traditional labour internationalism, re-conceptualisation, new kinds of analysis, and a new dialogue and dialectic between interested parties. Presented here in turn are the following: Before starting, a note on ‘internationalism’, ‘labour internationalism’ and ‘union internationalism’. Within social movement discourse, internationalism is customarily associated with 19th century labour, with socialism and Marxism. It may be projected backwards so as to include the ancient religious universalisms, or the liberal cosmopolitanism of the Enlightenment. And it should be extended, in both the 19th and 20th century, so as to include women’s/feminist, pacifist, anti-colonial and human rights forms. In so far as it is limited to 1. Union internationals and the national/industrial/colonial era There have been and still are other types of international union organisation. I limit myself to the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) and two others that have related to it
Global Solidarity Dialogue (GSD) is concerned with analysis of,theory about, and strategising around the new radical-democratic global solidarity movements that are beginning to come together and seek alternatives to capitalist globalisation. Started by P
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