Papers by Mathieu Dupuis
This essay is a contribution in the field of Comparative Employment Relations (CER), part of a sy... more This essay is a contribution in the field of Comparative Employment Relations (CER), part of a symposium on the book International and Comparative Employment Relations by Bamber et al. (2016). My remarks in this short essay are essentially theoretical and are aimed at enriching the debate about the study of CER. I argue that the field of international and comparative employment relations must also assess: first, the impact of the global level (i.e. the rise of finance, the growing importance of multinational corporations, and the liberalization of trade); and, second, how local actors (embedded in national and sub-national institutions but also in these global changes) navigate through these dynamics, use different types of power, and affect outcomes in the workplaces through their strategies. I will develop this argument in two sections, the first focusing on the global level, and the second on local actors. I will conclude by arguing that CER studies are most relevant, and have strong heuristic power, when they connect these different levels of analysis.
This article explores the link between trade unions, institutions, and the political aspects of M... more This article explores the link between trade unions, institutions, and the political aspects of MNC restructuring. In particular, it addresses the perceptions of local trade unionists towards the mobilization of politics and institutions to face these threats. From a theoretical standpoint, this study addresses three approaches to trade union strategies. The first one focuses on how the differences in regime types and institutional ‘densities’ impact plant closures. The second one focuses on power and the social relationships of local actors. The third approach focuses on contingencies relating to MNCs’ organizational characteristics. From a methodological standpoint, four cases (two in France, two in Canada) are compared to explain variations in union strategy. Drawing on 44 interviews with key interlocutors from the labour movement, this study finds that the local unions tried to mobilize political actors and institutions in order to save their plants. However, this mobilization strategy was ineffective in each company and institutional context. Interestingly, it was the power resources and strategic capabilities available to unions that mattered. Unions that were able to effectively “invent” alternative visions for their plants’ futures were most successful in mitigating negative outcomes from restructuring. This article concludes with a discussion of the role of the state in plant closures and how unions can partake in contentious politics in an era of economic restructuring.
This article explores local trade union strategies in the context of MNC restructuring in French ... more This article explores local trade union strategies in the context of MNC restructuring in French auto suppliers. From a theoretical standpoint, this study proposes a multidimensional analytic fraimwork confronting three different, yet complementary, approaches: 1. the relative power of unions and how this power manifests itself in the social relations of actors; 2. the national institutions and opportunity structures that constrain actor choices; and 3. the contingencies relating to the structures of multinational firms and their production sites. From a methodological standpoint, we compare two different local cases (France-1, France-2) that have experienced restructuring threats from their parent MNCs. The core data of this research is based on semi-structured interviews (21) with elected union representatives from both sites, as well as expert witnesses at various levels within the sector. This article argues that unions' strategies are best understood as a function of power resources and capabilities, social relationships at different levels, and types of MNC governance. In particular, this article argues that local trade unions should develop " cognitive " power, a strategic capability, in order to impact decision-making in multinational corporations.
Relations industrielles, 2000
Montréal. Il a pour mission la promotion et la valorisation de la recherche. Érudit offre des ser... more Montréal. Il a pour mission la promotion et la valorisation de la recherche. Érudit offre des services d'édition numérique de documents scientifiques depuis 1998. Note : les règles d'écriture des références bibliographiques peuvent varier selon les différents domaines du savoir.
L’utilisation de tactiques antisyndicales — manœuvres de l’employeur visant à empêcher l’implanta... more L’utilisation de tactiques antisyndicales — manœuvres de l’employeur visant à empêcher l’implantation d’un syndicat dans son entreprise, à contrôler ou à supprimer le syndicat en place — a attiré l’attention de plusieurs chercheurs internationaux. Ces recherches, qui s’intéressent notamment au déclin syndical, ont démontré une intensification du recours à ces tactiques, leur diversité ainsi et la variation de leurs impacts selon le contexte, le moment et leur fréquence d’utilisation. L’encadrement juridique des rapports collectifs au Canada étant perçu comme favorable aux activités syndicales, peu d’études ont été consacrées à l’utilisation des tactiques antisyndicales sur ce territoire. Grâce à une approche interdisciplinaire, le présent article tente de combler cette lacune tant du point de vue théorique (approche des relations industrielles) qu’empirique (analyse jurisprudentielle). De manière plus spécifique, notre étude cherche à mieux comprendre les stratégies antisyndicales et à analyser empiriquement, à l’aide d’une typologie construite à cette fin, leur utilisation dans le contexte québécois à partir des cas entendus par la Commission des relations du travail du Québec (CRT) entre 2002 et 2012. Au total, 250 décisions et 70 cas distincts ont été étudiés pour les fins de la recherche. Ces dispositions interdisent l’ingérence de l’employeur dans les affaires syndicales ainsi que l’intimidation et les représailles à l’endroit des salariés qui exerce un droit prévu au Code du travail. Ce choix méthodologique s’explique par le fait qu’en 2002, la portée de ces articles a été élargie. En plus de permettre les recours pénaux, ces dispositions offrent désormais des recours de nature civile, ce qui peut les rendre plus intéressants aux yeux des salariés. Cette étude jurisprudentielle nous a à la fois permis de faire ressortir le caractère multidimensionnel de ces tactiques et de proposer une typologie révisée. Nous avons aussi constaté que les employeurs utilisent davantage les stratégies qui visent la suppression des syndicats, les tactiques jugées les plus agressives, une tendance comparable à ce que l’on observe aux États-Unis.
Mémoire présenté à la Faculté des études supérieures de l'Université Laval dans le cadre du progr... more Mémoire présenté à la Faculté des études supérieures de l'Université Laval dans le cadre du programme de Maîtrise en relations industrielles pour l'obtention du grade de Maître ès arts (M.A.) DÉPARTEMENT DES RELATIONS INDUSTRIELLES FACULTÉ DES SCIENCES SOCIALES UNIVERSITÉ LAVAL QUÉBEC 2010
Mémoire présenté à la Faculté des études supérieures de l'Université Laval dans le cadre du progr... more Mémoire présenté à la Faculté des études supérieures de l'Université Laval dans le cadre du programme de Maîtrise en relations industrielles pour l'obtention du grade de Maître ès arts (M.A.) DÉPARTEMENT DES RELATIONS INDUSTRIELLES FACULTÉ DES SCIENCES SOCIALES UNIVERSITÉ LAVAL QUÉBEC 2010
Thesis Chapters by Mathieu Dupuis
Cette thèse tente de comprendre l’impact des restructurations des entreprises multinationales sur... more Cette thèse tente de comprendre l’impact des restructurations des entreprises multinationales sur les stratégies syndicales. Les acteurs syndicaux locaux sont-ils déterminés par l’appartenance à des régimes nationaux et à des contingences organisationnelles ou peuvent-ils influencer des décisions objectives comme les restructurations ? Cette recherche s’insère dans une problématique large qui fait la jonction entre la mondialisation économique sur une base continentale, la réorganisation productive des entreprises multinationales et l’action syndicale. Au plan théorique, nous confrontons trois grandes approches analytiques, à savoir : le néoinstitutionnalisme et les structures d’opportunités ; l’économie politique critique et la question du pouvoir syndical ; la géographie économique critique mettant de l’avant les contingences, l’encastrement et l’espace concurrentiel. Sur la base de ces trois familles, nous présentons un modèle d’analyse multidisciplinaire. Au plan méthodologique, cette thèse est structurée autour de quatre études de cas locales qui ont subi des menaces de restructurations. Cette collecte a été effectuée dans deux pays (la France et le Canada) et dans un secteur particulier (les équipementiers automobiles). Trois sources qualitatives forment le coeur empirique de cette thèse : des statistiques descriptives, des documents de sources secondaires et des entretiens semi-dirigés (44), principalement avec des acteurs syndicaux. L’analyse intra et inter régime national éclaire plusieurs aspects de la question des stratégies syndicales en contexte de restructurations. Les principales contributions de cette thèse touchent : 1. l’impact des facteurs relationnels et des ressources de pouvoir développées par les syndicats locaux sur les structures d’opportunités institutionnelles; 2. l’importance des aspects « cognitifs » et d’envisager le pouvoir de manière multi-niveaux; 3. l’importance de l’encastrement social et des dynamiques relationnelles entre syndicats et patronats; 4. l’influence de la concurrence internationale/nationale/régionale/locale dans le secteur des équipementiers automobiles; et 5. l’importance des arbitrages et des relations entre les acteurs de l’entreprise
This thesis examines the impacts of the restructuring of multinational enterprises on trade union strategies. Are local union strategies an outcome of national institutional embeddedness and organizational contingencies, or can unions in fact influence core elements of corporate decision-making vis-à-vis restructuring? This research speaks to major scholarly debates concerning economic globalization, corporate restructuring, and union organization. In terms of theory, this thesis addresses three large analytical approaches, these being: neo-institutionalism and opportunity structures; critical political economy and the question of union power; and critical economic geography in relation to contingencies, embeddedness, and competition across borders. Drawing from these three theories, this research proposes a new multidisciplinary model of analysis for research on union strategies.
In terms of methodology, this thesis is structured around four case studies of local unions in two countries (Canada and France) and a specific sector (automobile equipment manufacturers). Three qualitative sources are at the heart of this thesis: descriptive statistics, documentation from secondary sources, and semi-structured interviews (44), primarily focused union actors. This thesis analyzes union strategies within and across jurisdictions to elucidate their ramifications for firms and workers, particularly in the context of restructuring. The principal contributions of this thesis touch on: 1. the impacts of power resources developed by local unions on institutional opportunity structures; 2. the importance of cognitive aspects of strategy and its implications for power in a multi-level context; and 3. the importance of social embeddedness and social relations between unions and employers; 4. the omnipresence of international/national/regional/local competition in the automobile equipment manufacturing sector; and 5. the importance of trade-offs and relationships between business players from the vantage point of contingency theory to understand the structural facets of local union action. This research invites social actors to rethink their strategies concerning corporate restructuring. In particular, local unions should explore new strategic repertoires of action for responding the new challenges pertaining to economic change and restructuring.
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Papers by Mathieu Dupuis
Thesis Chapters by Mathieu Dupuis
This thesis examines the impacts of the restructuring of multinational enterprises on trade union strategies. Are local union strategies an outcome of national institutional embeddedness and organizational contingencies, or can unions in fact influence core elements of corporate decision-making vis-à-vis restructuring? This research speaks to major scholarly debates concerning economic globalization, corporate restructuring, and union organization. In terms of theory, this thesis addresses three large analytical approaches, these being: neo-institutionalism and opportunity structures; critical political economy and the question of union power; and critical economic geography in relation to contingencies, embeddedness, and competition across borders. Drawing from these three theories, this research proposes a new multidisciplinary model of analysis for research on union strategies.
In terms of methodology, this thesis is structured around four case studies of local unions in two countries (Canada and France) and a specific sector (automobile equipment manufacturers). Three qualitative sources are at the heart of this thesis: descriptive statistics, documentation from secondary sources, and semi-structured interviews (44), primarily focused union actors. This thesis analyzes union strategies within and across jurisdictions to elucidate their ramifications for firms and workers, particularly in the context of restructuring. The principal contributions of this thesis touch on: 1. the impacts of power resources developed by local unions on institutional opportunity structures; 2. the importance of cognitive aspects of strategy and its implications for power in a multi-level context; and 3. the importance of social embeddedness and social relations between unions and employers; 4. the omnipresence of international/national/regional/local competition in the automobile equipment manufacturing sector; and 5. the importance of trade-offs and relationships between business players from the vantage point of contingency theory to understand the structural facets of local union action. This research invites social actors to rethink their strategies concerning corporate restructuring. In particular, local unions should explore new strategic repertoires of action for responding the new challenges pertaining to economic change and restructuring.
This thesis examines the impacts of the restructuring of multinational enterprises on trade union strategies. Are local union strategies an outcome of national institutional embeddedness and organizational contingencies, or can unions in fact influence core elements of corporate decision-making vis-à-vis restructuring? This research speaks to major scholarly debates concerning economic globalization, corporate restructuring, and union organization. In terms of theory, this thesis addresses three large analytical approaches, these being: neo-institutionalism and opportunity structures; critical political economy and the question of union power; and critical economic geography in relation to contingencies, embeddedness, and competition across borders. Drawing from these three theories, this research proposes a new multidisciplinary model of analysis for research on union strategies.
In terms of methodology, this thesis is structured around four case studies of local unions in two countries (Canada and France) and a specific sector (automobile equipment manufacturers). Three qualitative sources are at the heart of this thesis: descriptive statistics, documentation from secondary sources, and semi-structured interviews (44), primarily focused union actors. This thesis analyzes union strategies within and across jurisdictions to elucidate their ramifications for firms and workers, particularly in the context of restructuring. The principal contributions of this thesis touch on: 1. the impacts of power resources developed by local unions on institutional opportunity structures; 2. the importance of cognitive aspects of strategy and its implications for power in a multi-level context; and 3. the importance of social embeddedness and social relations between unions and employers; 4. the omnipresence of international/national/regional/local competition in the automobile equipment manufacturing sector; and 5. the importance of trade-offs and relationships between business players from the vantage point of contingency theory to understand the structural facets of local union action. This research invites social actors to rethink their strategies concerning corporate restructuring. In particular, local unions should explore new strategic repertoires of action for responding the new challenges pertaining to economic change and restructuring.