Globalization and Cooperative Activity among National Labor Unions and National Environmental Organizations in the United States

Abstract

This paper examines the cooperative activity between national labor unions and national environmental organizations in the United States on issues associated with globalization. Past researchers have advocated the need for organizations that makeup the labor and environmental movements to work together, but do they? It is hypothesized that globalization issues may be a key factor for cooperative activity between national labor unions and national environmental organizations. The conducted research does find some evidence to support this claim. Industrial labor unions and politically oriented environmental organizations appear to be most active in working together on globalization issues. Associated with working together is the need for organizations to adopt a social justice frame that other organizations can support. The article concludes with a discussion of the importance of permanent, federative arrangements between national labor unions and national environmental organizations.

Keywords

• Globalization, Social Movements, Labor Unions, Environmental Movement, Coalitions

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