Combining union resources: the dynamics of strategic success during an automotive factory closure

Las Heras, Jon ; Rísquez, Mario ; Messina, Ignacio (Universidad de Zaragoza)

Resumen: Purpose
The purpose of this article is to critically examine the collective bargaining strategies employed by unions during the closure of Nissan Zona Franca and to challenge the assumption that institutional and mobilising power resources are mutually exclusive. By focusing on unions’ ability to mobilise rank-and-file workers and intervene in industrial policy, the article highlights the limitations of micro-corporatist approaches in securing long-term employment. It argues for a more dynamic, context-sensitive understanding of how unions can combine and generate power resources. Ultimately, the study seeks to contribute to union renewal literature by offering actionable insights for navigating global industrial challenges.


Design/methodology/approach
This study examines union responses to the closure of Nissan Zona Franca, drawing on fieldwork conducted between November 2023 and January 2024. Over 20 in-depth interviews were carried out with workers, union delegates, senior union officials and representatives from the Spanish Ministry of Industry and two Catalan political parties. Additionally, union pamphlets, official documents and news articles were analysed to contextualise the negotiation process. Special attention was given to capturing differences and similarities among the four unions representing the workforce. This multi-level approach ensured a nuanced understanding of union strategies, highlighting how confrontational tactics shaped industrial policy under shared adversity.


Findings
The article finds that unions at Nissan Zona Franca successfully combined institutional and confrontational power resources, challenging the view that these strategies are incompatible. Despite initial fragmentation, unions mobilised rank-and-file workers to push for an industrial plan, demonstrating how confrontational tactics can activate and transform institutional power. The study also highlights the relational, context-dependent nature of power resources and critiques the lack of industrial policy in Spain. It emphasises the importance of unions adopting proactive roles in shaping industrial alternatives, offering evidence that union-led interventions can influence corporate decisions and create new avenues for worker representation and protection.


Practical implications
The practical implications of this paper suggest that unions must adopt more creative and resourceful strategies in response to upcoming economic and industrial shifts in Western countries. The study underscores the importance of strategically combining existing power resources to create new, more effective ones, requiring foresight and vision from union leaders. While some leaders demonstrated insight in managing the Nissan Zona Franca closure, the broader context highlights the need for long-term strategies that prioritise workers’ economic well-being on a global scale. Whether through consensus or conflict, the paper suggests that conflict may often be necessary to build more cohesive and democratic societies, pointing to the need for unions to balance both approaches to effectively navigate industrial transformations.

Originality/value
The originality of the article lies in its examination of how unions at Nissan Zona Franca combined institutional and confrontational power resources to respond to a factory closure, challenging dominant assumptions in union renewal literature. Unlike most studies that treat these power strategies as mutually exclusive, this article highlights their dynamic interplay and mutual reinforcement. Additionally, it shifts focus from the governance of industrial policy to the processes of its formation, demonstrating how unions can shape industrial alternatives through rank-and-file mobilisation. This case study provides a novel, context-sensitive perspective on union strategy in the face of global industrial challenges.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.1108/ER-12-2024-0722

Año: 2025

Publicado en: Employee relations 47, 2 (2025), 380-396
ISSN: 0142-5455

Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MICINN/PID2021-122890OB-I00

Tipo y forma: Article (Published version)

Área (Departamento): Área Organización de Empresas (Dpto. Direcc.Organiza.Empresas)