The eclipse of solidarity: Precarious work, agency and collective action

European Journal of Political Theory (forthcoming)
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Abstract

Precarious work is a growing and alarming phenomenon. This paper analyses two of its distinctive normative features. First, precarity increases the risks workers face, blurring their capacity for prospection and lessening their security in accessing the opportunities associated with their jobs. Second, precarious work challenges workers’ collective action capacity. I will argue that both features threaten workers’ republican freedom. I develop the second point by presenting a conception of solidarity between workers and then showing how precarious work erodes it. On the one hand, when the labour market is dualised, precarity is distributed unevenly and the risks undergone by groups of workers are different. Thus, dual labour markets create a potential conflict of interest between the preferences of different groups, insiders and outsiders. On the other hand, various economic changes hinder workers from acting based on shared purposes due to increased coordination costs. To the extent that workers’ power depends on their bonds and collective action, primarily through unions, the eclipse of their solidarity leaves them powerless and thus increases their domination. Finally, I consider various scenarios that could boost workers’ collective power.

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References found in this work

On the People’s Terms.Philip Pettit - 2012 - Political Theory 44 (5):697-706.
Structural domination in the labor market.Lillian Cicerchia - 2022 - European Journal of Political Theory 21 (1).
Sufficiency as Freedom from Duress.David V. Axelsen & Lasse Nielsen - 2014 - Journal of Political Philosophy 23 (4):406-426.

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