The Right to Strike Reimagined

This open access book speaks to the potential of a reimagined and revitalised right to strike. This right, as it has been conceptualised and regulated in the 20th century, remains insufficient to guarantee the strike’s collective potential in the 21st, in the face of serious and growing threats in the workplace, in society, and for life on this planet. The contributing authors, who are experts in labour law across the globe, identify specific legal and practical obstacles that undermine the exercise of the right to strike. They argue for conceptual and/or regulatory reforms to restore the ability of workers and communities to employ the right to strike according to its original aims – democratisation (in the workplace and society), redistribution (of resources and power), and collective liberation. The book explores how broadening the understanding of the term ‘worker’ can challenge assumptions about who has the right to strike. The chapters also offer a vision of how sectoral and secondary action could address injustices in global supply chains. The legitimate aims of collective action are further explored in the context of the climate crisis. The book will be a vital reference to labour law scholars and practitioners, industrial relations specialists, and policy makers. At a time when increasing restrictions are being placed on civil liberties and industrial action in many countries, this book offers an important corrective. The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com.