Introduction

“Our Tarkine, Our Future”: The Australian Workers Union Use of Narratives Around Place and Community in West and North West Tasmania, Australia

“…More recently, the union renewal writers have used the term “community” in a number of differing and interchangeable ways, such as describing community organisations or people with a common interest or identity. Most commonly it is used as a substitute for the term community organisation (Cockfield et al ; Stewart et al ; Tattersall ).…”

“…In spite of a lack of conceptual clarity, the recent focus on community organising does attempt to place some emphasis on trade unions and their activities within the context of place and to relate place to unions' organising activities (Tattersall ). Trade unions can, Stewart et al () argue, be seen as representing communities that are both embedded in place but also transcend space through a shared class identity. Community unionism has at its heart notions of reciprocity and mutual benefit, and can develop especially where there is a commonality of identity (Stewart et al ).…”

“…Trade unions can, Stewart et al () argue, be seen as representing communities that are both embedded in place but also transcend space through a shared class identity. Community unionism has at its heart notions of reciprocity and mutual benefit, and can develop especially where there is a commonality of identity (Stewart et al ). Although Lévesque and Murray () recognise that narrative resources can extend beyond a union member's immediate interests into a broader project that resonates in an area, both Kelly's () and Lévesque and Murray's () focus is firmly on the workplace or worksite, and the use of narrative resources to inform and mobilise action, usually in the workplace, on issues that directly affect or impact on the workplace and may involve organised community groups.…”

Community Unionism in Africa: The Case of Mozambique

“…In terms of its origins, community unionism can be viewed as one element of social movement unionism activity (Stewart et al, 2009). Social movement unionism has itself been defined in a number of ways, and the subject of much debate, but is generally assumed to include features such as: political engagement with government, forging international level links with unions, and links with community organizations outside of the workplace (see Waterman, 2001;Dibben, 2004).…”

“…If organizing those within the informal economy, should they incorporate them into existing unions or set up a dedicated union? And what are the benefits and challenges of "community unionism," a concept that has been more often applied to advanced economies (see, for example Wills, 2001;Stewart et al, 2009), but might also be applicable to emerging economies? Can relationships with community organizations in Africa be regarded as characteristic of "community unionism?"…”