Abstract:
Social movement theories applied to industrial relations are insufficient to explain
recruitment and collective action focused on perceived injustices that are external
to the workplace and that an employer has a limited ability to influence. The South
African platinum mining industry has been characterised by increased collective
action and the emergence of a new independent union at the expense of the
incumbent union. The new union has mobilised primarily on external injustices
that employers cannot directly influence. 299 Union members were interviewed of
rival unions to examine the effect of using external perceived injustices as the
main driver for collective action in the platinum mining industry in 2012//2013. The
findings extend prior research on social movement theory and industrial relations
and discuss the implications for unions allied to government and employers.
