La mondialisation de l’économie modifie les rapports sociaux. Face au poids grandissant des firmes multinationales, les organisations syndicales s’organisent au niveau international. De nouvelles stratégies de contre-pouvoir émergent dont les accords transnationaux d’entreprise ou de groupe sont le fruit. Résultats d’une négociation spontanée entre des acteurs dont la légitimité reste à prouver, ces accords aménagent les rapports sociaux dans les entreprises et les groupes à caractère transnational et édictent des règles de travail pour les salariés qui les composent, voire au-delà. D’abord envisagés comme de simples déclarations d’intention assurant, par-delà les frontières, la promotion des droits fondamentaux au travail, leur contenu se précise et engage plus fermement leurs signataires. Un cadre juridique propre s’impose. A défaut, ils seront régis selon le cadre national de réception. Malgré ces incertitudes, les signataires s’organisent conventionnellement pour donner effets aux accords. Des clauses spécifiques assurent leur mise en oeuvre et leur suivi. Pourtant le silence demeure sur les effets juridiques réellement produits. Dès lors, une certaine insécurité questionne les parties qui appellent parfois à la définition d’un cadre international de réception pour en définir les règles de conclusion, la portée et les recours envisageables en cas de violation. / The economic globalization changes the social relations. To face this growing importance of multinational firms, global unions get organized at international level. New strategies against this emerging power include the conclusion of international and European framework agreements. Result of a spontaneous negotiation between actors whose legitimacy remains to be seen, these agreements adjust any social relationships in transnational companies and groups and lay down rules for employees who work for the up, and beyond. First seen as mere declarations of intention promoting the Fundamental rights at work beyond borders, their content is taking shape and commitments are stronger for signatories. A legal framework is needed. Otherwise, agreements will be governed by the national legislations. Despite these uncertainties, signatories conventionally organize effects of their agreements. Specific provisions ensure their implementation and monitoring. Yet the silence remains on the legal effects actually occurred. Therefore, some insecurity questions the parties that sometimes ask for an international framework of reception to define the rules of conclusion, the scope of the agreement and possible remedies for violations.

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This dissertation examines collaborations between the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and non-union elements of global civil society (GCS). GCS is presented as a crucial emergent site of transnational class formation, and ITUC collaborations within this field are treated as potentially important moments in transnational class formation. The goal of the dissertation is threefold. It seeks to 1) address the lacuna in GCS studies around the involvement of organized labour; 2) provide an analysis of what ITUC GCS collaborations mean for the remit and repertoire of action of the ITUC; and 3) provide an analysis of the impact of ITUC collaborations on transnational class formation. What the findings show is that the ITUC is heavily engaged in GCS through numerous collaborations with non-union organizations concerned with environmental degradation, human rights, global economic inequality, and women workers. Most significantly, collaboration within GCS has provided the ITUC an avenue to incorporate the needs of marginalized women workers whose work does not “fit” into the traditional model of trade union organizing. These findings lead to the conclusion that these collaborations have allowed the ITUC to expand the remit of its activities beyond “bread-and-butter” unionism, and expand its repertoire of action beyond interstate diplomacy. However, the findings do not support the idea that the ITUC has adopted a social movement framework, although it is clear that the ethos of social movement unionism has had an impact on the organization. Nonetheless, the dissertation concludes that the incorporation of marginalized women workers, and the active engagement of the ITUC in global environmental policy debates, signifies a new moment in transnational class formation. / Graduate / 0629 / 0703 / davidbhuxtable@gmail.com