Abstract
This article examines the evolving role of trade unions in defending and expanding labour rights in the Global South, with a focus on Brazil, South Africa, and India. Against a backdrop of neoliberal economic reforms, informalisation of labour markets, and declining union membership, we analyse the strategies trade unions have adopted to remain relevant and effective advocates for workers’ rights.
Key Findings
The comparative analysis reveals diverse adaptive strategies: Brazilian unions have pursued alliances with social movements and political parties; South African unions have engaged in coalition-building with community organisations; and Indian unions have experimented with organising informal sector workers. Despite these innovations, all three contexts reveal persistent challenges in representing the growing ranks of precarious and informal workers.
Methodology
The study draws on 14 months of multi-site fieldwork, including interviews with 62 union leaders and activists, analysis of union publications and policy documents, and observation of union meetings and collective actions across the three countries.
Implications
The findings challenge pessimistic accounts of union decline, demonstrating that unions in the Global South are capable of strategic adaptation, while also highlighting the structural constraints that limit their capacity to address the deepening crisis of labour precarity.
