Scope

The BreakBack Project focuses on “service provision” as a strategy through which unions aim to enhance their membership, to “revitalize” action and to relaunch the role of an inclusive and innovative social dialogue, by reaching groups and individuals who are often excluded from protection. We refer to employees commonly identified as “vulnerable” (non-standard employment, digital workers, etc.). BreakBack deals with self-employed workers, the I-pros and freelancers.

The purpose of BreakBack is to assess how unions respond to individualisation and to evaluate the impact of service provision on membership.

The hypothesis is that in the attempt to reach workers whose interests are fragmented and which are less keen on becoming union members, unionists are widely experimenting a “customisation” of their offer. Understanding how this process can coexist with the core values of the unionism is our main aim.