Can solidarity be organized "from below" in global supply chains?: The case of ExChains

Nora Lohmeyer; Elke Schüßler; Markus Helfen

doi:10.3224/indbez.v25i4.02

Can solidarity be organized "from below" in global supply chains? The case of ExChains

Nora Lohmeyer
, Elke Schüßler
, Markus Helfen

Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

12 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Global supply chains in the garment industry are marked by labour standard violations in factories as well as retail stores. Against this background it is important to strengthen the bargaining power of workers along the supply chain. Establishing direct relationships among workers along the supply chain could be one way to achieve this aim. This paper builds on extant literature on transnational solidarity and highlights the specific challenges of understanding solidarity in a transnational social space by looking at the empirical context of global garment supply chains. It hereby seeks to go beyond treating “solidarity” as a mere metaphor for any form of transnational union or worker cooperation, and instead engages with the cultural-normative dimensions of the concept as referring to mutual bonds among groups of workers. By looking at the case of the ExChains network, this paper examines some of the opportunities and challenges involved in establishing and maintaining transnational worker solidarity. The paper concludes by discussing the transformative potential, but also the limits of transnational labour solidarity regarding substandard working conditions in global supply chains.

Translated title of the contribution	Kann Solidarität "von unten" in globalen Zuliefererketten organisiert werden? : Der Fall ExChains
Original language	English
Journal	Industrielle Beziehungen
Volume	25
Issue number	4
Pages (from-to)	400-424
Number of pages	25
ISSN	0943-2779
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3224/indbez.v25i4.02
Publication status	Published - 17.12.2018
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The ExChains network exists since 2002 and is part of a wider network called TIE (Transnational Information Exchange). ExChains’ financial situation is quite precarious. While the positions of two coordinators in Germany are financed via TIE, which itself is partially financed by the foundation “Menschenwürde und Arbeitswelt” through the Evange-lischer Entwicklungsdienst (EED) as well as a private donor from the US who is sympathetic to TIE’s goals, the political work—mostly campaigns or meetings—has to be co-financed by third party funders, such as the Bewegungsstiftung or the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation. The networks in Asia are partially funded by the respective unions but have also received funds from foundations such as the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation. There are further sub-networks connected to TIE, which likewise try to organize transnational solidarity, such as the network “Eisenbahn ohne Grenzen,” which seeks to organize railway workers from West-Africa and France. Whereas TIE operates in different sectors, ExChains focuses on the global garment industry. The aim of the network is to build transnational solidarity among workers and, ulti- mately, to permanently change the global structure of the industry. The issues addressed by ExChains are diverse. In its current campaign, ExChains raises four demands: better fire and work protection, higher wages, trade union access rights, and supplier transparency. We argue that ExChains differs from other transnational initiatives because it decidedly aims to establish two-way bonds of solidarity among workers in garment production and retail.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Verlag Barbara Budrich.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities
SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production
SDG 17 Partnerships for the Goals

Research areas and keywords

Management studies
labor
coercive labor markets
labor discimination
labor standatds
EL: J47, J5, J7, J8

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Industrial relations
Business and International Management
Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management

Access to Document

10.3224/indbez.v25i4.02Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Cite this

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title = "Can solidarity be organized {"}from below{"} in global supply chains?: The case of ExChains",

abstract = "Global supply chains in the garment industry are marked by labour standard violations in factories as well as retail stores. Against this background it is important to strengthen the bargaining power of workers along the supply chain. Establishing direct relationships among workers along the supply chain could be one way to achieve this aim. This paper builds on extant literature on transnational solidarity and highlights the specific challenges of understanding solidarity in a transnational social space by looking at the empirical context of global garment supply chains. It hereby seeks to go beyond treating “solidarity” as a mere metaphor for any form of transnational union or worker cooperation, and instead engages with the cultural-normative dimensions of the concept as referring to mutual bonds among groups of workers. By looking at the case of the ExChains network, this paper examines some of the opportunities and challenges involved in establishing and maintaining transnational worker solidarity. The paper concludes by discussing the transformative potential, but also the limits of transnational labour solidarity regarding substandard working conditions in global supply chains.",

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author = "Nora Lohmeyer and Elke Sch{\"u}{\ss}ler and Markus Helfen",

note = "Funding Information: The ExChains network exists since 2002 and is part of a wider network called TIE (Transnational Information Exchange). ExChains{\textquoteright} financial situation is quite precarious. While the positions of two coordinators in Germany are financed via TIE, which itself is partially financed by the foundation “Menschenw{\"u}rde und Arbeitswelt” through the Evange-lischer Entwicklungsdienst (EED) as well as a private donor from the US who is sympathetic to TIE{\textquoteright}s goals, the political work—mostly campaigns or meetings—has to be co-financed by third party funders, such as the Bewegungsstiftung or the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation. The networks in Asia are partially funded by the respective unions but have also received funds from foundations such as the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation. There are further sub-networks connected to TIE, which likewise try to organize transnational solidarity, such as the network “Eisenbahn ohne Grenzen,” which seeks to organize railway workers from West-Africa and France. Whereas TIE operates in different sectors, ExChains focuses on the global garment industry. The aim of the network is to build transnational solidarity among workers and, ulti- mately, to permanently change the global structure of the industry. The issues addressed by ExChains are diverse. In its current campaign, ExChains raises four demands: better fire and work protection, higher wages, trade union access rights, and supplier transparency. We argue that ExChains differs from other transnational initiatives because it decidedly aims to establish two-way bonds of solidarity among workers in garment production and retail. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2018 Verlag Barbara Budrich.",

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N1 - Funding Information: The ExChains network exists since 2002 and is part of a wider network called TIE (Transnational Information Exchange). ExChains’ financial situation is quite precarious. While the positions of two coordinators in Germany are financed via TIE, which itself is partially financed by the foundation “Menschenwürde und Arbeitswelt” through the Evange-lischer Entwicklungsdienst (EED) as well as a private donor from the US who is sympathetic to TIE’s goals, the political work—mostly campaigns or meetings—has to be co-financed by third party funders, such as the Bewegungsstiftung or the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation. The networks in Asia are partially funded by the respective unions but have also received funds from foundations such as the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation. There are further sub-networks connected to TIE, which likewise try to organize transnational solidarity, such as the network “Eisenbahn ohne Grenzen,” which seeks to organize railway workers from West-Africa and France. Whereas TIE operates in different sectors, ExChains focuses on the global garment industry. The aim of the network is to build transnational solidarity among workers and, ulti- mately, to permanently change the global structure of the industry. The issues addressed by ExChains are diverse. In its current campaign, ExChains raises four demands: better fire and work protection, higher wages, trade union access rights, and supplier transparency. We argue that ExChains differs from other transnational initiatives because it decidedly aims to establish two-way bonds of solidarity among workers in garment production and retail. Publisher Copyright: © 2018 Verlag Barbara Budrich.

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KW - labor standatds

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