After Arbeitsschutzkontrollgesetz. Strikes and organic intellectuals in the German meat industry

Daniela Ana; Ştefan Voicu

doi:10.5771/1435-2869-2023-2-227

Contents
- Chapter Expand | CollapseAuthorsPage
- 127–130 Titelei/Inhaltsverzeichnis 127–130
- 131–134 Editorial 131–134
- 135–140 Western Balkans Civil Society Forum Peter Scherrer Peter Scherrer 135–140
- 141–160 Evaluating gender equality in politics and the labour market: the case of Albania Ela Golemi, Anxhela Llaftiu Ela Golemi, Anxhela Llaftiu 141–160
- 161–176 Poverty and its measurement: the case of Albania Ardita Borici, Alba Kruja Ardita Borici, Alba Kruja 161–176
- 177–188 Aspects of political representation in Albania: is it time for fewer seats in parliament? Belina Bedini Belina Bedini 177–188
- 189–208 ‘Slaves’ without coercion? Work-related classification patterns among Romanian migrant workers Christian Sperneac-Wolfer, Andrei Botorog, Ferdinand Sutterlüty Christian Sperneac-Wolfer, Andrei Botorog, Ferdinand Sutterlüty 189–208
- 209–226 ‘Ştiu eu pe cineva’. Self-organised mobility, labour intermediation and the two-fold exploitation of Romanian workers in the Austrian fresh food sector Paul Sperneac-Wolfer Paul Sperneac-Wolfer 209–226
- 227–248 After Arbeitsschutzkontrollgesetz. Strikes and organic intellectuals in the German meat industry Daniela Ana, Ştefan Voicu Daniela Ana, Ştefan Voicu 227–248
- 249–262 Civic participation through the Office of the National Ombudsman in the protection of labour rights in Bulgaria Eleonora Ushatova-Kalinova Eleonora Ushatova-Kalinova 249–262
- 263–270 Discussing Attila Àgh: Awaking Europe in the triple global crisis. The birth pangs of the emerging Europe (2021) Christophe Solioz Christophe Solioz 263–270
- 271–272 About the Authors 271–272
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SEER Journal for Labour and Social Affairs in Eastern Europe , page 227 - 248

After Arbeitsschutzkontrollgesetz. Strikes and organic intellectuals in the German meat industry

Autoren

Daniela Ana Ştefan Voicu

DOI
- doi.org/10.5771/1435-2869-2023-2-227
- ISSN: 1435-2869
- ISSN online: 2942-3384
Abstract

For decades, migrant workers with temporary and service contract work in the German meat industry have rarely been recruited by trade unions. The Arbeitsschutzkontrollgesetz (Occupational Safety and Health Inspection Act) law, implemented in 2021, aimed to grant equal employment conditions to the majority of workers in slaughterhouses, creating new avenues for trade unions to gain more members and organise industry-level negotiations for better wages and a collective agreement. This article explores the lessons from the series of strikes that accompanied those negotiations. Relying primarily on participant observation in the meat industry strikes and employing an actor-centred perspective, the paper reveals the role of shopfloor organic intellectuals – Gramsci’s term for those who grasp class interests and who generate cohesion and self-awareness of their class’s position in society – in mobilising and demobilising workers. Analysis of the strikes shows that organic intellectuals can be instrumental in articulating the resistance of subaltern groups, but they can also be co-opted by dominant groups to manufacture consent.
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