An Empirical Study on the Organization of Workers in Unstable Employment in the Era of Globalization

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24330163
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Sociology
• Research Institution: Toyo University (2014); Chubu Gakuin University (2012-2013)
• Principal Investigator: MOON jeong sil 東洋大学, 社会学部, 教授 (20301616)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TANI Tomio 甲南大学, 文学部, 教授 (30135040) ; NISHIZAWA Akihiko 神戸大学, 国際文化学研究科, 教授 (20245658) ; ASAKURA Mie 金城学院大学, 人間科学部, 教授 (00310269) ; YAMAMOTO Kaori 愛知県立大学, 教育福祉学部, 教授 (30295571) ; YAMAGUCHI Keiko 東京学芸大学, 教育学部, 准教授 (40344585) ; ITO Tairou 広島国際学院大学, 情報文化学部, 教授 (80281765) ; SAI Heronry 広島国際学院大学, 現代社会学部, 准教授 (60589373) ; KITAGAWA Yukihiko 放送大学, 教養学部, 准教授 (00601840) ; TAKAHATA Sachi 静岡県立大学, 国際関係学部, 准教授 (50382007) ; UCHIDA Ryushi 尚絅学院大学, 総合人間科学部, 准教授 (60515394) ; YAMANE Kiyohiro 琉球大学, 教育学部, 准教授 (00726680)
• Research Collaborator: NIITA Noriko 大東文化大学, 経営研究所
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 社会運動 / ユニオン運動 / コミュニティ・ユニオン / 反貧困 / 社会的包摂

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The objective of the research is to clarify the characteristics of the community-based labor unions, a kind of new social movement protesting today's globalizing economy. We have conducted the questionnaire survey as well as face-to-face interview to the 74 community-based labor unions which belong to the "Community Union National Network", in 35 prefectures with the total membership of around 15,000.
The findings from the questionnaire survey (8.1% collection rate) shows that the community-based labor unions are essential for the "survival" of the workers in unstable employment having little safety net. Also, the analysis of the activities of labor unions showed the difference in the objectives and expectations for union activities depending on generation and gender of the respondents. As a conclusion, the study clarified the possibility of the union activities creating new "public space" as well as the issues surrounding the labor union movement.

Free Research Field

社会学