ABSTRACT
Globalisation’s impact on labour and work is causing a transformation in labour conflict that will require fundamental changes in both theory and research. The traditional method of equating labour conflict with strikes has become increasingly inappropriate. Some representative cases presented in this chapter highlight that theory and focus must be broadened to include the full range of both collective and individual expressions. Drawing on an extensive literature review, we first outline the state of the art about labour conflict theory and research. Comparing more recent developments utilising multiple disciplinary approaches, we examined cases in several developed and developing countries. A growing consensus was discovered about how global changes have dramatically reduced the structural conditions that previously allowed labour discontent to be organised into collective strikes. In contrast, our chapter shows the persistence of individual and informal forms of labour conflict and the emergence of new forms of labour conflict (from grievances to online resistance and social movement labour struggles). Future challenges of the study of labour conflict are highlighted along the following dimensions: theoretical, analytical, methodological, geographical and temporal. Finally, for each of the dimensions, we provide specific instruments to advance our knowledge of labour conflict.
