Workers of the world, unite? : a study of global solidarity in the textile and garment industries

Abstract

Marxist theories have for a long time been grappling with the question of the international solidarity among workers. This thesis revises the argument put forward especially in neo-Marxist theories of imperialism about the conflicting interests between workers in core countries and in peripheral ones. It seeks to do so by analyzing the impact of the new regime of accumulation upon global trade unionism and thus solidarity. The twin issues of global trade unionism and solidarity are seen through the lense of a major deregulating event in two of the most geographically dispersed indutries, textiles and garments, and its impact upon the Global Union Federation operating in those industries. The thesis also seeks to analyze how global unions canalize the solidarity in mounting an opposition to the neoliberal onslaught.