Trade Unions and Decentralized Production: A Sketch of Strategic Problems in the West German Labor Movement

current competitive conditions, and yet collectively defending the economic and political interests of those who live from paychecks, regardless of where they are employed. The dual system, in a word, holds out the promise that the efficiency advantages of the Japanese company union can be reconciled with the social-democratic conviction that democracy in advanced capitalist countries requires the participation of a national labor movement. Seen this way the dual system is indeed attractive. In the typical mediumsized or large firm in the private sector, a works’ council is elected every three years by all permanent employees, unionized or not, according to a formula that