Expanding Welfare State Borders

Trade Unions and the Introduction of Pro-Outsiders Social Policies in Italy and Argentina

Bibliographic Data

ID2116288
AuthorsMarcello Natili (0000-0003-1271-8370, University of Milan), Angelica Puricelli (University of Milan)
Year2023
Volume52
Issue2
Pages339-357
Publication date2023-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Social Policy (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0047-2794 • E-ISSN: 1469-7823
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0047279421000660
OpenAlexW3215710105
LanguageEN
Citations received13
References cited36

This article investigates the drivers of trade union choices in the social policy arena in the age of austerity. Against the background of a political economy literature mostly emphasising trade union support for their stronger constituency - i.e. the 'insiders' - the article shows the existence of mechanisms potentially inducing trade unions to broaden their demands. Empirically, the study rests on an in-depth comparative analysis of the political process inducing the two largest trade unions in Argentina and Italy, the CGT and the CGIL, to support 'pro-outsider' social policy actively. Besides the comparison of two different geographical areas - though not so different in terms of original welfare state configuration - the main contribution of this article is outlining how the combination of dwindling organizational resources and growing competition from social movements and/or new radical unions leads traditionally insider-oriented unions to reach out to new constituencies and advocate expanded redistributive demands

Austerity · Competition (biology) · Economics · Insider · International trade · Market economy · Political economy · Political science · Politics · State (computer science) · Trade union · Welfare · Welfare state · Labor Movements and Unions · Political Economy and Marxism · Social Policy and Reform Studies