Organization and Regulation of Employment Relations in Transnational Production and Supply Networks. Ensuring Core Labor Standards through International Framework Agreements?

Project directors: Dr. Michael Fichter (Political Science) / Prof. Dr. Jörg Sydow (Business & Economics)

Laufzeit / Duration: 10/2008 - 03/2012. Finanzierung / Grant: Hans-Böckler-Stiftung.

Projektinformationen (HBS) / Project information (FU Berlin)

 

PUBLICATIONS

Fichter, Michael (2010): Globalizing Labor Relations across the Atlantic? The Role of Institutions and Actors, AICGS Transatlantic Perspectives, http://www.aicgs.org/analysis/publications/topics/economics.aspx, 25 February 2011

Fichter, Michael/Markus Helfen/Katharina Schiederig (2011): Kann transnationale Solidarität auf Konzernebene organisiert werden? Der Ansatz der internationalen Rahmenabkommen, in: Gerlach, F./T. Greven/U. Mückenberger/E. Schmidt (ed.), Solidarität über Grenzen. Gewerkschaften vor neuer Standortkonkurrenz, Berlin: edition sigma, 75-93.

Fichter, Michael/Markus Helfen/Jörg Sydow (2011): Employment Relations in Global Production Networks - Initiating Transfer of Practices via Union Involvement, in: Human Relations, 64 (4), 599-624.

Abstract:
International Framework Agreements (IFAs) represent a still small but growing and particularly interesting contribution to the global regulation of employment relations. IFAs enable global union federations (GUFs) to become actively involved in co-designing employment relations within transnational corporations (TNCs) and their global production networks. Based upon theoretical insights into the challenges of transferring practices in and across organizations, we present and discuss a model of practice transfer for global production networks based on empirical data from a content analysis of IFAs and from interviews with representatives of TNCs, GUFs and other experts. Our study contributes to an organizational theory of practice transfer. But more importantly, it aims at a better integration of IHRM and international industrial relations by looking more closely at the particular role of GUFs as external actors.

Fichter, Michael/Markus Helfen/Jörg Sydow (2011): Regulating Labor Relations in Global Production Networks. Insights on International Framework Agreements, in: Internationale Politik und Gesellschaft, (2), 69-86.

Abstract:
Unions are developing a strategy to bring to bear on the transnational regulation gap with regard to labor relations. One important tool they have devised for this task is the International Framework Agreement (IFA). However, IFA policy is highly corporate-oriented and may differ considerably from one Global Union Federation (GUF) to another and actual implementation has progressed slowly or not at all. A number of lessons can already be drawn from this.

Fichter, Michael/Dimitris Stevis (2011): Global Framework Agreements: Looking Inwards, Outwards and Onwards, in: International Union Rights, 18 (2), 16-17.

Fichter, Michael/Markus Helfen/Jörg Sydow (2011): Ensuring Core Labor Standards through International Framework Agreements?, in: Perspectives on Work, 15 (1-2), 23-25.

Fichter, Michael/Markus Helfen (2011): Going local with global policies: Implementing international framework agreements in Brazil and the United States, in: Papadakis, K. (ed.), Shaping Global Industrial Relations. The Impact of International Framework Agreements, Houndsmills: Palgrave Macmillan, 73-97.

Fichter, Michael (2011): Exporting Labor Relations across the Atlantic? Insights on Labor Relations Policies of German Corporations in the U.S., in: WorkingUSA, 14 (2), 129-143.

The essay disentangles the intricate relationship between the actions and stated policies of multinational corporations ostensibly aimed at protecting the rights of workers and labor standards on a global basis. The essay demonstrates the stark differences between practices and stated intentions in the global South and global North.

Helfen, Markus/Michael Fichter/Jörg Sydow (2012): Anfänge einer Institutionalisierung grenzüberschreitender Arbeitsbeziehungen? Zur Paradoxie der Internationalen Rahmenabkommen im globalen Dienstleistungssektor, in: Industrielle Beziehungen, 19 (3), 290-313 (download mit freundlicher Genehmigung des Rainer Hampp Verlags www.Hampp-Verlag.de)

This article directs attention to the paradoxical observation that while the deterioration of (national) industrial relations institutions and labour standards are often found in conjunction with the internationalization of labour-intensive industrial services there are unique cases of global (framework) agreements in this sector. These agreements have been concluded between the global union federation representing the private service industries, and several large multinationals. Using an exemplary case study, we argue that a combination of two aspects facilitates the paradoxical conclusion of global agreements in labour-intensive services: First, for the global union federation, a negotiation strategy that focuses on how to support “organizing” in order to tackle low unionization rates in the sector, and second, for central management, pressure to legitimize and further a particular business model owing to the high-profile visibility of their respective companies.

Stevis, Dimitris/Michael Fichter (2012): International Framework Agreements in the United States: Escaping, Projecting or Globalizing Social Dialogues? In: Comparative Labor Law & Policy Journal, 33, 667-690.

Arruda, Lilian/Michael Fichter/Markus Helfen/Jörg Sydow (2012): Acordo marco internacional: uma ferramenta para garantir os direitos fundamentais no trabalho em um mundo globalizado? Aportes do Brasil. Análises e propostas Sao Paulo / Berlin Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation.

Arruda, Lilian/Michael Fichter/Markus Helfen/Jörg Sydow (2012): International Framework Agreements – a powerful tool for ensuring Core Labor Standards in a globalized world? Insights from Brazil. Análises e propostas Sao Paulo / Berlin Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation.

Fichter, Michael/Dimitris Stevis/Markus Helfen (2012): Bargaining for corporate responsibility: The global and the local of framework agreements in the USA, Business and Politics, 14 (3), 1-31.

Fichter, Michael/Joerg Sydow/Markus Helfen/Lilian Arruda/Özge Berber Agtas/Indira Gartenberg/Jamie K. McCallum/Kadire Zeynep Sayim/Dimitris Stevis (2012): Acordos Marcos Globais: Organizando as relações de trabalho globalizadas? Perspectiva, Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation. Berlin. http://library.fes.de/pdf-files/iez/09560.pdf

Fichter, Michael/Joerg Sydow/Markus Helfen/Lilian Arruda/Özge Berber Agtas/Indira Gartenberg/Jamie K. McCallum/Kadire Zeynep Sayim/Dimitris Stevis (2012): Arbeitsbeziehungen globalisieren : mit Rahmenabkommen auf Kurs gebracht? Perspective, Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation. Berlin. http://library.fes.de/pdf-files/iez/09504.pdf

Fichter, Michael/Joerg Sydow/Markus Helfen/Lilian Arruda/Özge Berber Agtas/Indira Gartenberg/Jamie K. McCallum/Kadire Zeynep Sayim/Dimitris Stevis (2012): Globalising Labour Relations. On Track with Framework Agreements? Perspective, Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation. Berlin. http://library.fes.de/pdf-files/iez/09422-20121129.pdf

Sydow, Jörg/Michael Fichter (2012): Global Production Networks - Organizing Work with International Framework Agreements?, The Journal of Sociology and Social Anthropology, 15 (5), 169-185.

Fichter, Michael (2013): Global Value Chains and Trade Union Strategies: Implementing International Framework Agreements, Bhowmik, Sharit K. (ed.), The State of Labour. The Global Financial Crisis and its Impact, London: Routledge, 105-128.

Fichter, Michael (2013): Globale Gewerkschaftsarbeit: Organisatorische und handlungspolitische Ansätze, Rüb, Stefan/Torsten Müller (ed.), Arbeitsbeziehungen im Prozess der Globalisierung und Europäischen Integration, 13. Baden-Baden: Nomos, 67-80.

Fichter, Michael (2013): Voluntary regulation: codes of practice and framework agreements, Frege, Carola/John Kelly (ed.), Comparative Employment Relations in the Global Economy, London; New York: Routledge, 390-407.

Fichter, Michael/Markus Helfen/Katharina Schiederig (2013): Transnational Solidarity around Global Production Networks? Reflections on the Strategy of International Framework Agreements, Fairbrother, Peter/Christian Levesque/Marc-Antonin Hennebert (ed.), Transnational Trade Unionism. Building Union Power, London: Routledge, 203-222.

Fichter, Michael/Kadire Zeynep Sayim/Özge Berber Agtas (2013): Oganization and Regulation of Employment Relations in Transnational Production and Supply Networks. Ensuring Core Labor Standards through International Framework Agreements? Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation. Ankara. http://www.fes-tuerkei.org/media/pdf/Partnerpublikationen/layouts%20web%20english.pdf (2013.10.13)

Fichter, Michael/Kadire Zeynep Sayim/Özge Berber Agtas (2013): Organization and Regulation of Employment Relations in Transnational Production and Supply Networks. Ensuring Core Labor Standards through International Framework Agreements? Report Turkey. Friedrich Ebert Foundation. Ankara; Berlin. (2013.08.05)

Fichter, Michael/Dimitris Stevis (2013): Global framework agreements in a union-hostile environment : the case of the USA. Study, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. Berlin. http://library.fes.de/pdf-files/id/10377.pdf (2013.12.10)

Fichter, Michael/Dimitris Stevis (2013): Global framework agreements in the USA : an assessment of their implementation and impact. Perspective, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. Berlin. http://library.fes.de/pdf-files/id/10401.pdf (2013.12.10)

Helfen, Markus/Michael Fichter (2013): Building transnational union networks across global production networks: Conceptualising a new arena of labour-management relations, British Journal of Industrial Relations, 50 (3), 553-576.

Stevis, Dimitris/Michael Fichter (2013): Les accords cadres internationaux: au-delà de la responsabilité sociale des entreprises?, Brunelle, Dorval (ed.), Travail et commerce. Clauses sociales, responsabilité sociale et accords transnationaux d'entreprise, Montreal: edition IEIM, 151-167.