AbstractsSociology

Abstract The aim of our project is to explain the contradictions of labour solidarity under the newfound circumstances in the European Union. Since the European enlargement in 2004 Eastern European workers became integral part of debates over social dumping and welfare tourism in Western European countries. In addition, the free movement of people and services especially in the Nordic countries has brought about unexpected challenges for the Nordic labour market model where wages, working time and working environment are negotiated between working representatives and employer organizations. The presence of Polish construction workers in Denmark has evoked the concern of Danish trade unions as the newcomers put a pressure on the traditional collective bargaining system. We are going to scrutinize the general trade union, 3F in Denmark in order to explain the contradictions of labour solidarity. As a theoretical framework we rely on Featherstone’s notion of transformative solidarity, Bieler’s theorization of lack of solidarity and Albin’s theory about moral responsibility of the trade unions towards migrant workers.