The State of the Unions: Challenges Facing Organised Labour in Ireland

The State of the Unions, part of the National College of Ireland's "Changing World of Work" series, is a comprehensive study of the position of unions and union decline in Ireland today. Written by some of Ireland's leading academics and industrial relations specialists, it is aimed at both the student and practitioner market and aspires to further the debate on the state of unionisation in the Republic. The contributors to this volume explore some of the major concepts and frameworks used to explain the purpose and function of unions, and specifically the cycle of union decline, and outline the prospects for growth. Taken together, the chapters in this volume offer unique and up-to-date insights, many of them evidence-based, on the position of unions in Ireland and the major challenges they face both institutionally and in terms of organisation and ethos.

The contributors to the book are Daryl D'Art (University of Limerick), David Begg (Irish Congress of Trade Unions), Kate Bronfenbrenner (Labor Education Research, Cornell University), Emer Gilvarry (Mason Hayes+Curran law firm), Patrick Gunnigle (University of Limerick), Tim Hastings (National College of Ireland), Jonathan Lavelle (University of Limerick), Brendan MacPartlin SJ (National College of Ireland), Anthony McDonnell (University of Limerick), Ruairi Quinn (former leader of the Irish Labour Party), W.K. Roche (University College Dublin), Brian Sheehan (Industrial Relations News) and Tom Turner (University of Limerick)

Reviews

"The State of the Unions offers invaluable insights into the challenges facing unions and the climate they operate in. It also highlights the opportunities for the development of employee and union involvement on the ground."

Patricia King, Regional Secretary SIPTU and Vice President of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions

"This book is a must-read for policy makers, employers, trade unions and interested citizens given the central role of trade unions in economic and social policy making in Ireland,. It provides a rich mix of research findings and the views of opinion-makers and leaders."

Dr John O'Dowd, Independent Consultant and Specialist in Labour Relations Programmes at the National College of Ireland

About the Editor

Dr Tim Hastings lectures at the National College of Ireland in the areas of industrial relations, human resource management, organisational change and the semi-state sector in Ireland. He is the editor of the National College of Ireland's "Changing World of Work" Series.