Abstract

The essay discusses methodology and results of a great survey about work conditions recently made by the major Italian mechanical Union. Firstly, the author maintains that it would have been better asking also other questions to the 100,000 workers contacted. Secondly, he underlines the statistical bias of the sample, which practically did not represent small firm workers. Since Italy is the European country with a maximum predominance of this size of firm, such a fault depends on the social approach of mechanical union, focused on a still fordist "model of class and work". That outdated choice - argues the author - explains enough the difficulties in unionising small firm workers.