Von der sozialen Neuzusammensetzung zur gewerkschaftlichen Erneuerung? MigrantInnen als Zielgruppe der österreichischen Gewerkschaftsbewegung

The article deals with the question how organised labour in Austria has to change in order to successfully address migrant workers. To answer this research question we focus on supportive practices developed by Austrian trade unions and chambers of labour with respect to the specific needs and interests of migrants. The article argues that these supportive practices have to be assessed on one hand against the background of the multiple crises of the trade union movement. Hence, we identified strategies predominantly associated with the traditional service model, which aims at organizing migrant workers. On the other hand, from the perspective of the power resource approach those supportive practices can be seen as part of a broader strategy of union revitalization, which is aiming at consolidating the strength of trade unions by strengthening the associational power of migrant workers.