New theories and politics for working class organizing in the gig and precarious world of work

Summary

The journal article by Atzeni and Cini discusses new theories and politics for working-class organizing in the gig and precarious world of work. It addresses the emergence of labor conflicts in various sectors of the gig and precarious economy, challenging traditional industrial relations frameworks and political implications. The article argues that existing theories, particularly Kelly’s union-centered mobilization theory, are insufficient to explain these new forms of mobilization characterized by informal networks and self-organization. It emphasizes the need for a more processual account of worker mobilizations, where non-institutional factors play a significant role. The authors draw on the European social movement tradition to consider supportive communities and political activism traditions as key to understanding mobilizations in the gig economy, aiming to renew industrial relations theories of collective action through a class-based approach.