Making it Work
Supporting Group Representation in a Liberal Democratic Organization
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12311641 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Anne Mcbride (0000-0003-3381-672X) |
| Year | 2001 |
| Volume | 8 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 411-429 |
| Publication date | 2001-10-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Gender Work and Organization (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0968-6673 • E-ISSN: 1468-0432 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/1468-0432.00139 |
| OpenAlex | W2085630975 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 6 |
Providing oppressed social groups with rights of representation is one suggestion for counteracting bias towards privileged groups in society. In order to counteract a bias towards their white, male, heterosexual, able‐bodied membership, a number of trade unions have provided social groups with resources to self‐organize and represent their group interests to mainstream decision‐makers. However, enabling group representation at the same time as individual representation is problematic in trade unions that are organized along liberal democratic lines. This case study of UNISON shows that while the union supported the self‐organization of oppressed social groups, these groups were excluded from matters affecting pay and working conditions. The article argues that this outcome reflects the difficulty of reconciling the representation of social groups with the representation of individuals in a liberal democratic organization. The implications of this organizational framework are illustrated by contrasting the organizing strategies of two women's self‐organized groups. While one strategy (the organization of women shop stewards) fits the prevailing organizational structure, the other (the organization of all women) attempts to be different and may have more potential for counteracting the bias towards privileged groups in the future. The article argues that a radical organizational framework is required if oppressed social groups are to gain real power within trade unions
Democracy · Economics · Labour economics · Mainstream · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Power (physics · Public relations · Representation (politics · Social group · Social organization · Social science · Sociology · Trade union · Unison · Digital Economy and Work Transformation · Global trade, sustainability, and social impact · Labor Movements and Unions · Law · Psychology · Social Psychology
| Unique citing works | 6 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,25 |
| Citation span | 2002 - 2024 (23) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 6 |