The polyphonic critique of trade unions: unpacking the logics of union critical discourse

Trade unions have been the object of sustained critiques from across the political spectrum for several decades now. This paper aims to shed light on the intricacies of these critiques aimed at trade unions. Based on a discourse theoretical analysis of articles in three Dutch-speaking Belgian newspapers, published in two periods of social protest in 2014 and 2016, the article identifies six lines of critique with their own logic: (1) critiques of unions as conservative anachronisms that are out of sync with the realities of our times; (2) critiques that psychologize unions as egoistic, irresponsible and child-like actors; (3) criminalization strategies that marginalize unions as vandals, hostage takers, terrorists; (4) strategies that oppose unions to a homogenized general interest; (5) metadiscursive critiques of unions’ discursive practices; and (6) metapolitical critiques that criticize the unions as polarising and ‘political’ actors. We show that, whilst each of these strategies has its own specificity, the strategies do resonate with each other rather well. They form a relatively consonant polyphonic critique of trade unions in which neoliberal conceptions of the economy and of politics, and consensual views on democratic politics and political action combine to depoliticize right-wing socio-economic policies and undermine the power and legitimacy of trade unions as critics of such policies.

Jaar van publicatie:2021

Trefwoorden:trade unions, discourse analysis

BOF-keylabel:ja

IOF-keylabel:ja

BOF-publication weight:1

Auteurs:Regional

Authors from:Higher Education

Toegankelijkheid:Open