Doctoral Dissertation Research: Social Movement Dynamics in Labor Organizing

University Of California-Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara CA

Investigators

Abstract

This research seeks to expand the boundaries of contemporary labor studies scholarship by drawing attention to labor-related forms of movement activity occurring outside traditional collective bargaining frameworks. It contends that fully understanding the dimensions and possibilities of labor transformation requires scholars and practitioners to fundamentally alter established analytic suppositions. The central questions are: 1) How might analyzing the labor movement as a social movement, with respect to goals, power, strategy and success, open new avenues of inquiry and contribute to current labor movement theorizing? 2) Do community based labor organizations, represent new mechanisms by which movement rebirth might occur? The project design consists of three phases: 1) mapping the dimensions of the "new" labor movement to identify the scope, type and quality of activity emblematic of labor revitalization; 2) in-depth case study of exemplary activity focusing on the organization's goals, analysis of power, the strategies and tactics, and the means used to measure success; 3) evaluating the effectiveness of the organizations' methods to determine whether they represent viable alternatives to traditional forms of labor movement organizing. The work is based on seventy-five interviews with labor leaders, community activists, labor scholars, union organizers and workers throughout California and extensive observation of three community-based organizations in Los Angeles. The broader impact of this dissertation project lies in its potential to contribute to the theoretical and practical goal of applying a social movement lens to analyses of the contemporary US labor movement. In so doing, it seeks to advance union and community organizing practices by drawing attention to innovative forms of labor movement organization and by highlighting the contributions of women and immigrant workers who are playing a central role in creating them.