Trade unions and sustainability : an integrative review

Bembič, Branko (avtor), Golob, Urša (avtor), Podnar, Klement (avtor)

Despite the growing presence of trade unions (TUs) in sustainability discussions, academic research on their role is still scattered. This article presents an integrative review of 110 peer-reviewed English-language academic articles on this topic, indexed in Scopus and Web of Science and published between 1997 and early 2025. Through an iterative coding process, we identified five meta-theoretical perspectives: socio-technical transitions (MLP); imperial mode of living/treadmill of production (IML-ToP); industrial relations (IR); Marxist/critical political economy; and degrowth/ecological political economy. We then used these perspectives to map the conceptual architecture of the field. Theoretical orientation significantly influences the interpretation of TU strategies, ranging from obstructive and reformist to transformative. Existing tensions between labour's material dependence on unsustainable systems and its potential as an ecological agent of change are variously theorised, yet rarely resolved. By highlighting the associations between conceptual frameworks and evaluative conclusions, we provide a lens through which to reflectively assess this emerging field and outline avenues for more pluralistic and theoretically grounded research into labour-environment relations.

• Jezik: Angleški jezik
• Ključne besede: industrial relations, integrative review, just transition, labour environmentalism, sustainability, trade unions
• Vrsta gradiva: Članek v reviji
• Tipologija: 1.02 - Pregledni znanstveni članek
• Organizacija: FDV - Fakulteta za družbene vede
• Status publikacije: Objavljeno
• Različica publikacije: Objavljena publikacija
• Leto izida: 2026
• Št. strani: str. 6392-6407
• Številčenje: Vol. 34, iss. 5
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-178158
• UDK: 331.105.44:502.131.1
• ISSN pri članku: 1099-1719
• DOI: 10.1002/sd.70698
• COBISS.SI-ID: 265375491
• Datum objave v RUL: 20.01.2026

Gradivo je del revije

• Naslov: Sustainable development
• Skrajšan naslov: Sustain. dev.
• Založnik: John Wiley & Sons
• ISSN: 1099-1719
• COBISS.SI-ID: 517831705

Licence

• Licenca: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Priznanje avtorstva 4.0 Mednarodna
• Povezava: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.sl
• Opis: To je standardna licenca Creative Commons, ki daje uporabnikom največ možnosti za nadaljnjo uporabo dela, pri čemer morajo navesti avtorja.

Sekundarni jezik

• Jezik: Slovenski jezik
• Ključne besede: Odnosi med delodajalci in delojemalci, sindikati, trajnost (ekologija)

Projekti

• Financer: ARIS - Javna agencija za znanstvenoraziskovalno in inovacijsko dejavnost Republike Slovenije
• Številka projekta: J5-4581
• Naslov: Sindikati in trajnostni prehod: pričakovanja in paradoksi (S-TP)

• Financer: ARIS - Javna agencija za znanstvenoraziskovalno in inovacijsko dejavnost Republike Slovenije
• Številka projekta: P5-0193
• Naslov: Analiza dela, izobraževanja in zaposlovanja