The insider–outsider divide and contentious politics: the tripartite field of the Italian labour movement

Abstract

This article examines the consequences of the insider–outsider divide on contentious labour politics. Focussing on work-related collective actions occurring in Italy between 2008 and 2018 (N = 9,935), it is investigated how trade unions and new groups supporting insiders and outsiders are involved in actions that differ in repertoire, scale, issues claimed and by duration. Results show a tripartite field of actors who are engaged in contentious labour politics: trade union federations and professional associations–mostly representing insiders–support institutional, large-scale actions and economic claims. Unorganised and self-organised workers–mostly mobilising outsiders–are active in traditional, disruptive and small-scale actions related to economic issues. Non-working categories–students, political parties, loosely-organised groups–are engaged in traditional, large-scale actions motivated by political and social rights issues. The conclusions discuss the consequences of the growing heterogeneity of workers’ representative bodies on insider–outsider political inequalities, and on class representation which hinders the emergence of a cohesive labour movement. Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at: https://doi.org/10.1080/01402382.2022.2030593.