Union forms: adaptation and inertia

This chapter reviews the different forms unions can take and have taken across time and space as they have adapted to changes in the labor market. When examining union ‘forms’, we focus on their internal governance structure, the constituencies they represent, and their repertoires of representation. Specifically, we draw on examples from Denmark, Italy, Germany, and the United States, which reflect traditional union typologies. For each country, we sketch the union forms as well as how traditional unions have changed over time. We show that some unions have changed their statutes and bargaining strategies, expanded their services, or set up new structures. Finally, we compare the trajectories of unionism and highlight the commonalities across countries as well as the differences due to the institutional context and the strategies of the main employment relations actors.