Exit, Voice, and Solidarity: Contesting Precarity in the US and European Telecommunications Industries

Doellgast's book "Exit,Voice,and Solidarity" compares strategies to reorganize service jobs in the US and European telecommunications industries, focusing on the intersection of constraints on employer exit, support for collective worker voice, and strategies of inclusive labor solidarity as sources of worker power.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 07 February 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

Corporate restructuring has become a prevalent trend, characterized by downsizing, outsourcing, and intensifying performance management practices. While these measures have contributed to increased job insecurity and inequality, companies are exploring alternative approaches that balance market demands for profits with social demands for high-quality jobs. In his book "Exit, Voice, and Solidarity," Doellgast examines strategies employed in the US and European telecommunications industries to reorganize service jobs. Market liberalization and shareholder pressure drove employers to adopt cost-cutting measures, while labor unions responded with innovative collective bargaining and organizing campaigns. The success of these efforts hinged on the intersection of three factors: constraints on employer exit, support for collective worker voice, and strategies of inclusive labor solidarity.

These factors played a pivotal role in empowering workers to retain high-quality jobs within core employers while extending decent pay and conditions across increasingly complex networks of subsidiaries, subcontractors, and temporary agencies. The book offers an original framework for analyzing cross-national differences in restructuring strategies and outcomes, based on research conducted at incumbent telecom companies in various countries.

By examining these case studies, Doellgast sheds light on the complex dynamics between market forces, labor movements, and government policies that shape the outcomes of corporate restructuring. He highlights the importance of worker power and collective action in preserving high-quality jobs and promoting social justice in the workplace. "Exit, Voice, and Solidarity" is a valuable resource for scholars, policymakers, and workers seeking to understand the challenges and opportunities associated with corporate restructuring and the strategies employed to navigate them effectively.

Weight: 458g
Dimension: 232 x 157 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197659786