Trade Unions in Russia, China and Vietnam: From Governmental to non-Governmental Public Actors
Simon Clarke and Tim Pringle
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In this paper we want to examine the experience of the trade unions of the three countries over the past twenty years and ask to what extent they have reformed their structures and practices in response to the structural changes in the character of employment relations. We also ask how well these organisations have adapted to their new role of representing the interests of employees and upholding contractual rights bestowed on employees by the introduction of formal, national labour laws. In particular, we want to scrutinise the role of labour activism in driving forward such reforms in each country. In other words, to what extent and under what pressures have trade unions in the three countries been able to transform themselves into 'real' trade unions?