The fall and rise of organising in a blue-collar union

This paper analyses the growth of organising activity in a blue-collar, manufacturing union. It outlines the factors influencing the initial adoption of this philosophy in 1994, examines the reasons underlying the move away from this approach and the drivers that led to the subsequent return to the organising model in 1999. Based on an analysis of these changes the paper argues that the level of commitment and zeal of the unions' leadership is the crucial factor in determining the extent and culture of organising.