勞工議題進入政府議程之策略

How Labor Places Issues on the Governmental Agenda

社會衝突是政治系統的主要特徵，各對立團體競相把議題中有利自己的立場列入政府議程，社會衝突理論為這個動能過程提供了有力的解釋，本文利用衝突理論分析勞工如何把議題列入政府議程。由於資方在政府決策過程中享有先天優勢，因此，在勞資衝突中，勞方所用以增加實力的策略是獲勝的關鍵。勞工所用之策略有二：一為利用重新界定議題和提高其能見度，以擴大衝突範圍，爭取旁觀者加入自己的陣營；二為提高勞工本身投入的程度，增加衝突的強度。從現有的例證顯示，投入程度比擴大範圍更為有效，因為勞方在人數上已優於資方，所需致力者為如何提高強度，使勞工運動更為團結。強度這項變數可用兩項指標加以測量，一為勞工運動更為團結。強度這項變數可用兩項指標加以測量，一為勞工參加工會人數的比例，另一為勞工對公職候選人競選經費的捐輸。美國勞工運動的發展為此提供了例證。

Social conflict is a major characteristic of any political system. Groups compete for top positions on the governmental agenda. Social conflict theory provides a comprehensive explanation of this dynamic process. It is used in this study to analyze how labor places issues on the governmental agenda in the context of labor-management conflict. Business enjoys a privileged position in the authoritative decision-making process. The strategy that labor employs is, therefore, crucial to increasing its power relative to business. Two basic strategies are employed, one to expand the scope of the conflict, and another to increase its intensity. The scope can be expanded by redefining or publicizing issues so as to attract, mobilize, and align a greater audience. In this way, the lines of cleavage are redrawn. The intensity of the conflict can be increased by developing a greater commitment within the working class itself. In this way, the labor movement is solidified. This can be measured by using two indicators, one that reflects the proportion of union members to employed workers and another that reflects the proportion of labor contributions to election candidates. The development of the labor movement in the United States serves as an example.