DISCUSSION PAPER SERIES DP 2019 – 2
DISCUSSION PAPER SERIES
DP 2019 – 2
‘The class composition of trade union movement in Greece: an empirical investigation’
Ioannis Zisimopoulos
University of Patras
George Economakis
University of Patras
George Androulakis
University of Patras
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the class composition of the trade union movement in Greece. More precisely, we investigate in which social classes the members of trade unions belong and which social classes present higher level of union density within the wage labour. For the determination of social classes, the Marxist theory of the modes of production is adopted. The analysis is based on primary data that collected in the second quarter of 2018 by the method of semi-structured interview. The population is all employees who potentially are members of trade unions, i.e. the wage labour in Greece, and the sample is composed of 651 questionnaires. From the data analysis the hegemony of the new petty bourgeoisie within the trade union movement is derived. The new petty bourgeoisie –and especially that part formed within the state mechanism– is showing higher levels of union density.
Keywords: social classes, wage labor, trade unions, union density, Greece
JEL classification: B51, J21, J51, J82
