Implikacje społeczne przekształceń strukturalnych w dawnych okręgach przemysłowych Europy

Abstract

The theme of the considerations in the article are the social implications of the restructuring of old industrial regions of Europe. The basis of the analyzes arethe results of the research carried out in 2008–2011 among residents of some old working-class areas of England, France, Spain, Germany, Polish and Turkish, as part of a 3-year research project SPHERE (Space, Place and the Historical and Contemporary Articulations of Regional, National and European Identities through Work and Community in Areas Undergoing Economic Restructuring and Regeneration). The regions selected for the survey are those in which the transition from traditional industries to production based on latest technologies and expert services was successful (Corbeil-Esonnes/Evry, partly Nuremberg and Barnsley – South Yorkshire) as well as those in which the industrial sector continues to play a significant role (Elda and Alcoy in the Autonomous Community of Valencia, Polish Silesia Bedzin and ore). In addition to employers and employees, the actor of economic and social transition are labor unions. These structures playing an important role in shaping the post-war economic order, are now losing importance in their "Fordist" forms. Due to crisis of the unions the need for organizational change ideological revision of strategies and new strategies of activity has been observed. The analyses revealed that in all above regions economic changes taking place destabilized social life, causing tension and resistance of workers. This was expressed by thousands of protestants organized by trade unions against the imposed new standards of work, organizational culture and work relations. Restructuring of the studied regions strengthened antagonisms between the public and private sectors. The first one symbolizing the old world, a sense of security, stability and predictability has lost its importance, and its place has been taken by the private sector, which has brought – according to the respondents- social tensions and anxieties.