Positive Class Compromise in Globalized Production? The Freedom of Association Protocol in the Indonesian Sportswear Industry

This paper investigates the role of voluntary initiatives (VIs) as non-governmental systems of labour regulation in global value chains (GVCs). We ask under which conditions VIs with a more active role for labour emerge. In order to answer this question, we apply Wright’s (2000) theory of the factors enabling positive class compromise to a VI implemented in the Indonesian sportswear industry and extend it to the more complex realities of GVCs. We conclude that if VIs are to create conditions under which decent work can be strengthened, the involvement and strength of local labour organizations are required and producers’ and/or buyers’ dependence on workers’ cooperation acts as a catalyst.