TY - JOUR
T1 - Fianna Fáil, the trade union movement and the politics of macroeconomic crises, 1970–82
AU - Murphy, Gary
AU - Hogan, John
PY - 2008/12
Y1 - 2008/12
N2 - This article argues that the relationship between Fianna Fáil and the trade unions throughout in the 1970s was largely based upon political imperatives, with an economic subtext. At the start of the 1970s, the Fianna Fáil government prodded the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) into a ‘voluntary’ national wage agreement. This agreement was regarded as a means of stabilising the economy, attracting foreign investment, and improving Fianna Fáil’s image with the electorate. While governments throughout this period did adopt certain trade union policies as public policy, this was only done when it suited the administration. Fianna Fáil’s objective was never to create a Scandinavian style corporatist state. All agreements with ICTU had the same ultimate objective: economic progress to ensure political success. When this objective could no longer be satisfied the unions found themselves removed from the corridors of power.
AB - This article argues that the relationship between Fianna Fáil and the trade unions throughout in the 1970s was largely based upon political imperatives, with an economic subtext. At the start of the 1970s, the Fianna Fáil government prodded the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) into a ‘voluntary’ national wage agreement. This agreement was regarded as a means of stabilising the economy, attracting foreign investment, and improving Fianna Fáil’s image with the electorate. While governments throughout this period did adopt certain trade union policies as public policy, this was only done when it suited the administration. Fianna Fáil’s objective was never to create a Scandinavian style corporatist state. All agreements with ICTU had the same ultimate objective: economic progress to ensure political success. When this objective could no longer be satisfied the unions found themselves removed from the corridors of power.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85050173019&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/07907180802452812
DO - 10.1080/07907180802452812
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85050173019
SN - 0790-7184
VL - 23
SP - 577
EP - 598
JO - Irish Political Studies
JF - Irish Political Studies
IS - 4
ER -