Résumés
Abstract
Analysis of findings suggests that community unionism is vibrant within Mozambique. Trade union engagement with the main community organization representing the informal economy appears to be a key element of its revitalization strategy; both parties are benefiting from the relationship, and it appears to be sustainable. However, certain questions arise regarding its longer-term viability. Firstly, ASSOTSI represents those working illegally, while the OTM focuses on workers in formal employment. Secondly, OTM has a close relationship with the government due to its socialist past, yet ASSOTSI has a more tentative relationship with the government. Thirdly, ASSOTSI represents only African workers. Furthermore, senior figures in the OTM now seem to be re-considering the value of sustaining an affiliate model that includes all of the informal economy (including both owners and workers), and instead are contemplating setting up a union to represent informal sector workers.
This article draws on in-depth research to investigate how community unionism has been employed in Mozambique, an emerging economy in Africa. In doing so, it asks whether engagement with community organizations is characterized by a strategic or piecemeal approach, the degree to which there are mutual benefits for the trade union and the community organization, and whether the relationship is sustainable in the longer term.
Against the background of liberalization, privatization and financial crisis, unions face a declining number of core members. In emerging economies such as Mozambique, the formal sector now constitutes around eight percent of the working population, while around seventy-five per cent of the workforce is in the informal sector, with the remainder being unemployed. In many countries, unions have sought to engage these workers through “community unionism.”
Keywords:
- Africa,
- trade union,
- informal economy
Résumé
L’analyse des résultats nous indique que le syndicalisme communautaire est bien vivant au Mozambique. L’engagement syndical avec la principale organisation communautaire représentant l’économie informelle (ASSOTSI) semble être l’élément clé de cette stratégie de revitalisation. Les deux parties bénéficient de cette relation qui semble viable. Il y a cependant certaines questions eu égard à cette viabilité à long terme. D’abord l’ASSOTSI représente les travailleurs illégaux alors que l’organisation syndicale OTM regroupe les travailleurs de l’économie officielle. Ensuite, l’OTM a une relation proche avec le gouvernement vu son passé socialiste alors que l’ASSOTSI a une relation plus fragile avec ce même gouvernement. Finalement, l’ASSOTSI ne représente que des travailleurs africains. Des représentants seniors de l’OTM semblent se questionner sur la pertinence de soutenir un modèle qui inclut toute l’économie informelle (propriétaires et travailleurs). L’OTM envisage plutôt de mettre sur pied un syndicat pour représenter les travailleurs du secteur informel.
Cet article se fonde sur une recherche en profondeur que nous avons effectuée sur la façon dont le syndicalisme communautaire s’est exprimé dans cette économie émergente d’Afrique. Plus particulièrement, nous avons cherché à répondre aux questions suivantes : l’engagement avec les organisations communautaires est-il caractérisé par une approche stratégique ou à la pièce ? À quel niveau y a-t-il bénéfices mutuels pour le syndicat et l’organisation communautaire ? Cette relation est-elle viable à long terme ?
Dans un contexte de libéralisation, de privatisation et de crise financière, les syndicats subissent un déclin dans le nombre de leurs membres. Dans les économies émergentes, telle celle du Mozambique, le secteur formel ne représente que 8 % de la main-d’oeuvre, alors qu’environ 75 % des travailleurs se retrouvent dans le secteur informel, les autres étant sans emploi. Dans plusieurs pays, les syndicats ont cherché à impliquer ces travailleurs du secteur informel dans le syndicalisme communautaire.
Mots-clés :
- Afrique,
- syndicat,
- économie informelle
Resumen
El análisis de los resultados sugiere que el sindicalismo comunitario es vibrante en Mozambique. La implicación sindical con la principal organización comunitaria representante de la economía informal parece ser el elemento clave de su estrategia de revitalización; ambas partes benefician de esta relación, y esto parece ser sustentable. Sin embargo, se plantean ciertas cuestiones respecto a su viabilidad a largo plazo. En primer lugar, ASSOTSI representa aquellos que trabajan ilegalmente mientras que la OTM se centra en los trabajadores del empleo informal. En segundo lugar, la OTM tiene una relación estrecha con el gobierno debido a su pasado socialista, pero la ASSOTSI tiene una relación más vacilante con el gobierno. En tercer lugar, la ASSOTSI representa solo los trabajadores africanos. Más aún, las figuras mayores de la OTM parecen actualmente estar reconsiderando la importancia de sustentar un modelo de afiliación que incluya toda la economía informal (incluyendo propietarios y trabajadores) y, en cambio, estarían proyectando la organización de un sindicato para representar los trabajadores del sector informal.
Basándose en una investigación en profundidad, este artículo estudia cómo el sindicalismo comunitario ha sido empleado en Mozambique, una economía emergente del África. Con ello, se pregunta si la implicación con las organizaciones comunitarias está caracterizada por un enfoque estratégico o fragmentado, a qué nivel existen beneficios mutuos para el sindicato y la organización comunitaria, y si la relación es sostenible a largo plazo.
Con un trasfondo de liberalización, privatización y crisis financiera, los sindicatos enfrentan un deterioro de la cantidad de sus miembros del núcleo central. En las economías emergentes como Mozambique, el sector formal constituye ahora cerca del ocho por ciento de la población de trabajadores, mientras que cerca del sesenta y cinco por ciento de la fuerza laboral se encuentra en el sector informal, y que el resto está constituido de desempleados. En muchos países, los sindicatos han intentado reclutar estos trabajadores mediante el “sindicalismo comunitario”.
Palabras clave:
- África,
- sindicato,
- economía informal
Parties annexes
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