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Metaphor(s) of the platform economy in the trade union discourse

  • Pietro Manzella is Senior Research Fellow at the Association for International and Comparative Studies in the field of Labour Law and Industrial Relations (ADAPT) and Adjunct Professor of English at the Università La Statale (Milan). He received his PhD in International Labour Relations from the Faculty of Economics of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, where he also spent three years as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow. He has also been Visiting Fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science (UK) and the School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Cornell University (USA). He is mostly concerned with the role of language in the disciplines of Labour Law and Industrial Relations.

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Published/Copyright: June 1, 2022

Abstract

Previous research has shown that trade unions have resorted to a number of rhetorical tools to make their arguments and ensure the voice of their members was heard. In a time in which union membership is declining and many have questioned trade unions’ representation role, the recourse to figurative language – e.g. metaphors – might contribute to getting unions’ messages through, restoring trust among affiliates. Against this backdrop, this paper examines the metaphorical devices employed in trade union discourse, with a view to appreciating the way they are utilised in employee relations and highlighting the values unions intend to promote through these figures of speech. To this end, discourse analysis is carried out on a data corpus consisting of documents issued by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in a given timeframe, in which metaphorical language is employed. The analysis focuses on a specific topic, i.e. platform workers and the protection of their rights. The findings reveal that metaphors are used by trade unions to convey different meanings, which are intended to generate narratives aimed at safeguarding the rights of platform workers.


Corresponding author: Pietro Manzella, Association for International and Comparative Studies in Labour Law and Industrial Relations (ADAPT), Via Garibaldi 7, 24124, Bergamo, Italy, E-mail: , https://www.adapt.it

About the author

Pietro Manzella

Pietro Manzella is Senior Research Fellow at the Association for International and Comparative Studies in the field of Labour Law and Industrial Relations (ADAPT) and Adjunct Professor of English at the Università La Statale (Milan). He received his PhD in International Labour Relations from the Faculty of Economics of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, where he also spent three years as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow. He has also been Visiting Fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science (UK) and the School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Cornell University (USA). He is mostly concerned with the role of language in the disciplines of Labour Law and Industrial Relations.

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Received: 2021-08-31
Accepted: 2022-05-18
Published Online: 2022-06-01
Published in Print: 2024-05-27

© 2022 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

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