Neo-liberal globalization in the 21st Century; problems and prospects for the trade union movement
NEO-LIBERAL GLOBALIZATION IN THE 21st CENTURY: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS FOR THE TRADE UNION MOVEMENT Being a paper presented at the December 20 – 22, 2006, Public Services International Workshop on “The future of Public Sector Unions in Nigeria” Kaduna – Nigeria by Baba Aye, National Auditor, LP INTRODUCTION We wish to start by commending the apt theme of this workshop: “Workers in the changing world of work”. We have however, taken the liberty to re-phrase this paper’s title. This is for the following reasons. “Trade union survival” really is very important, considering the onslaught of neo-liberal globalisation’s “for-profit’ crusade which is rolling back both the state and rights won through two hundred years of struggle by workers and their trade unions. Job losses are reflected in dwindling unions’ memberships. “Doctrinaire free-market ideologies” are setting new bench-marks of values, institutional relevance and power balances not exactly favourable to the union movement in the “wo