Independent union

This article is about the type of trade union. For the political party, see Independent Union.

An independent union is a trade union that is independent of something.

Historically it referred to a trade union which represents workers that is free of employer control. ^[1] (This includes a union representing workers in more than one plant located in two or more states but employed by the same employer).

United Kingdom

Indie union

In the United Kingdom, indie union is a term used to describe younger grassroots trade unions which organise workers seen as unorganisable by mainstream trade unions, particularly migrant workers and those working in precarious employment. The three main indie unions are:

• The Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain
• The United Voices of the World
• The Cleaners and Allied Independent Workers Union.

North America

See also: List of labor unions in the United States § Independent

In North America, a national independent union is a union of a national character not affiliated with the AFL - CIO; a local independent union is one of a local character not affiliated with the international union having jurisdiction over that branch of industry. ^[2]

See also

• List of labor unions in the United States § Independent
• National Federation of Independent Unions
• United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America
• Industrial Workers of the World

References

1. Troy, Leo (1960). "Local Independent and National Unions: Competitive Labor Organizations". Journal of Political Economy. 68 (5). The University of Chicago Press: 487–506. doi:10.1086/258365. ISSN   0022-3808. JSTOR   1830310. S2CID   153397063.
2. Roach, John (1903). Snow, Henry (ed.). "Federated Trade Unionism". The Elevator Constructor. I (11). International Union of Elevator Constructors: 2. Retrieved 16 May 2020.

Further reading

• Jacoby, Sanford M. (2000). "A Road Not Taken: Independent Local Unions in the United States Since 1935". In Kaufman, Bruce E.; Taras, Daphne Gottlieb (eds.). Nonunion Employee Representation: History, Contemporary Practice, and Policy. M.E. Sharpe. ISBN   978-0-7656-3857-1 . Retrieved 16 May 2020.
• Però, Davide (2020). "Indie Unions, Organizing and Labour Renewal: Learning from Precarious Migrant Workers". Work, Employment & Society. 34 (5): 900–918. ISSN   0950-0170.
• Smith, Holly (2022-08-01). "The 'indie unions' and the UK labour movement: Towards a community of practice" . Economic and Industrial Democracy. 43 (3): 1369–1390. doi:10.1177/0143831X211009956. ISSN   0143-831X.
• Weghmann, Vera (2022-07-01). "Theorising practice: independent Trade Unions in the UK" (PDF). Work in the Global Economy. 2 (1): 132–147. doi:10.1332/273241721X16510573048560.
• Smith, Holly (2023). "The rise of indie unions". Work and Equalities Institute.
• Weghmann, Vera (2023-01-01). "The tail that wags the dog: lessons from the UK's independent unions for class struggle trade unionism". Employee Relations: The International Journal. 45 (4): 808–822. doi:10.1108/ER-01-2022-0046. ISSN   0142-5455.