Have union representatives failed to take the special needs of employees into account?
This article focuses on the willingness of union representatives to respond to requests made by workers with special needs regarding their personal situation. Drawing on interviews held with 33 trade union representatives, this study examines participants’ responses to workers’ requests and considers the possible changes in trade union practices that they suggest. While some representatives are taking on a new role that reflects a stronger representative function, others consider workers’ particular needs as simply a matter of personal and individual difficulties. The way in which these needs are taken into account thus depends on the representative’s capacity and desire to act. This, in turn, has an impact on the possibility of transforming trade union practices.