The role of community organisations in the collective mobilisation of migrant workers: The importance of a ‘community’-oriented perspective

Joyce Jiang; Marek Korczynski

The role of community organisations in the collective mobilisation of migrant workers: The importance of a ‘community’-oriented perspective

Joyce Jiang, Marek Korczynski

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Abstract

In examining the collective mobilisation of migrant workers, scholars have ex-plored the emergence of community organisations as alternative forms of worker representation. However, community unionism scholars tend to adopt a union-centric perspective, which leaves unexplored the complex nature of community organisations. We argue that it is important to adopt a ‘community’-oriented perspective. Such a perspective allows us to explore varied capacity for collective actions and different forms of identity framing across community organisations. We argue that these can affect the union-community relationship and organising outcomes. By comparing ethnographic case studies of the role of two community organisations vis-à-vis the collective mobilisation of migrant workers, we conclude that community organisations which focus on participa-tory internal relations , and which frame collective identities (including class) in an intersectional way are more likely to have reciprocal relationships with trade unions and contribute to collective mobilisation.

Original language	English
Journal	Work, Employment and Society
Publication status	Accepted/In press - 22 Jul 2022

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title = "The role of community organisations in the collective mobilisation of migrant workers: The importance of a {\textquoteleft}community{\textquoteright}-oriented perspective",

abstract = "In examining the collective mobilisation of migrant workers, scholars have ex-plored the emergence of community organisations as alternative forms of worker representation. However, community unionism scholars tend to adopt a union-centric perspective, which leaves unexplored the complex nature of community organisations. We argue that it is important to adopt a {\textquoteleft}community{\textquoteright}-oriented perspective. Such a perspective allows us to explore varied capacity for collective actions and different forms of identity framing across community organisations. We argue that these can affect the union-community relationship and organising outcomes. By comparing ethnographic case studies of the role of two community organisations vis-{\`a}-vis the collective mobilisation of migrant workers, we conclude that community organisations which focus on participa-tory internal relations , and which frame collective identities (including class) in an intersectional way are more likely to have reciprocal relationships with trade unions and contribute to collective mobilisation.",

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AB - In examining the collective mobilisation of migrant workers, scholars have ex-plored the emergence of community organisations as alternative forms of worker representation. However, community unionism scholars tend to adopt a union-centric perspective, which leaves unexplored the complex nature of community organisations. We argue that it is important to adopt a ‘community’-oriented perspective. Such a perspective allows us to explore varied capacity for collective actions and different forms of identity framing across community organisations. We argue that these can affect the union-community relationship and organising outcomes. By comparing ethnographic case studies of the role of two community organisations vis-à-vis the collective mobilisation of migrant workers, we conclude that community organisations which focus on participa-tory internal relations , and which frame collective identities (including class) in an intersectional way are more likely to have reciprocal relationships with trade unions and contribute to collective mobilisation.

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