Verity Burgmann

The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.tandfebooks.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 3.0 license.Globalization has adversely affected working-class organization and mobilization, increasing inequality by redistribution upwards from labour to capital. However, workers around the world are challenging their increased exploitation by globalizing corporations. In developed countries, many unions are transforming themselves to confront employer power in ways more appropriate to contemporary circumstances; in developing countries, militant new labour movements are emerging. Drawing upon insights in anti-determinist Marxian perspectives, Verity Burgmann shows how working-class resistance is not futile, as protagonists of globalization often claim. She identifies eight characteristics of globalization harmful to workers and describes and analyses how they have responded collectively to these problems since 1990 and especially this century. With case studies from around the world, including Greece since 2008, she pays particular attention to new types of labour movement organization and mobilization that are not simply defensive reactions but are offensive and innovative responses that compel corporations or political institutions to change. Aging and less agile manifestations of the labour movement decline while new expressions of working-class organization and mobilization arise to better battle with corporate globalization. This book will be of interest to students and scholars of labour studies, globalization, political economy, Marxism and sociology of work.

Globalization and Labour in the Twenty-First Century (Open Access)

Meredith Burgmann

At the height of the building industry boom in the 1970s a remarkable campaign stopped billions of dollars worth of indiscriminate development that was turning Australian cities into concrete jungles. Enraging employers and politicians but delighting many in the wider community, the members of the New South Wales Builders Labourers' Federation risked their jobs in order to preserve buildings, bush and parkland. Green Bans, Red Union documents the development of a union that took a stand on a number of social issues. Apart from the green bans movement, union members also used their industrial power to defend the rights of oppressed groups, such as Aborigines, women and homosexuals. In telling the colourful story that inspired many environmentalists and ordinary citizens - and gave the word 'green' an entirely new meaning - Meredith Burgmann and Verity Burgmann open a window on a period when Australian workers led the world in innovative and stunningly effective forms of environmental protest.

Environmental Activism and the New South Wales Builders Labourers' Federation

Green Bans, Red Union

Globalization and Labour in the Twenty-First Century

A history of the International Workers of the World (IWW) in Australia, this book is both lively and scholarly.

The Industrial Workers of the World in Australia

Revolutionary Industrial Unionism

At the height of the building industry boom in the 1970s a remarkable campaign stopped billions of dollars worth of indiscriminate development that was turning Australian cities into brutalist concrete jungles and destroyed their heritage buildings. Enraging developers and politicians but delighting many in the wider community, the members of the NSW Builders Labourers' Federation risked their jobs to preserve buildings, bush and parkland. Meredith Burgmann and Verity Burgmann open a window on a period when Australian workers led the world in innovative and effective forms of environmental protest. A timely new introduction reconsiders the impact of the now iconic green bans movement at a moment when workers' organisations around the world are fighting back against overdevelopment and global warming more strongly that ever before.

The Saving of a City

Douglas Newton

Carolyn Holbrook

Anne Beggs-Sunter

Chris McConville

Phil Roberts

Julie Kimber

Phillip Deery

Karen Agutter

Robert Bollard

Liam Byrne

Lachlan Clohesy

Rhys Cooper

Nick Irving

Bobbie Oliver

Carolyn Rasmussen

Kim Thoday

Throughout the twentieth century, labour movement activists have been in the forefront of challenges to war and militarism. With a particular emphasis on the First World War this book seeks to restore their role to our historical memory. Contributors include Karen Agutter, Anne Beggs-Sunter, Robert Bollard, Verity Burgmann, Liam Byrne, Lachlan Clohesy, Rhys Cooper, Carolyn Holbrook, Nick Irving, Chris McConville, Douglas Newton, Bobbie Oliver, Carolyn Rasmussen, Phil Roberts, and Kim Thoday.

Peace Activism in the Twentieth Century

Fighting Against War

Verity Burgmann

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