The posting of workers in the German construction industry: responses and problems of trade union action

Marcus Kahmann
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Marcus Kahmann: Political scientist (Dipl. Pol.) and sociologist (Masters) — Free University of Berlin, Department for Political Sciences; University of Paris X, Department of Sociology — 8, rue de la Chapelle — F-75018 Paris

Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, 2006, vol. 12, issue 2, 183-196

Abstract: Over the last two decades, in a number of EU Member States labour migration in the construction industry has predominantly taken the form of the posting of workers. This article traces the responses of the German construction union IG BAU to this phenomenon. To this end, it distinguishes between three levels of action: relations with the state, relations with employers and autonomous action. It shows that the union's efforts have concentrated on the first two levels. IG BAU's steps to include migrant workers into its ranks have been taken only cautiously. While the union has achieved a number of successes in terms of regulating the labour market, limits of these policies have become apparent. There are signs that IG BAU has reacted to these limits by developing more inclusive organisational policies, notably by founding the European Migrant Workers Union.

Keywords: posting of workers; labour migration; trade unions; EU enlargement (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2006
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:treure:v:12:y:2006:i:2:p:183-196

DOI: 10.1177/102425890601200206

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