Union Democracy and Shopfloor Mobilization: Social Movement Unionism in South African Auto and Clothing Plants

Abstract

Social movement unionism emerged in the democratic struggle against authoritarian states in South Africa and other developing countries and is increasingly promoted to revive unions in advanced industrialized societies. The article tests a model of the underlying conceptual foundations of support for social movement unionism using survey data from interviews with members in South African auto and clothing plants. Despite the demobilizing effects of the country's transition to democracy, union democracy and member participation are found to persist on the shopfloor. The article partially counters the ‘democratic rupture’ thesis as worker control remains effective over annual industry-level bargaining, although weaker over political and industrial policy issues.