Abstract

The article explores the implications of Bruno Trentin's (a Trade Union leader and a distinguished scholar recently dead) studies on the comprehension of the third industrial revolution (the so-called Postfordism) and its consequences on personal work relations and the role of Trade Unions. Particularly, the Author stresses that the critical analysis of the Fordist hierarchical way of organizing productive relations led Bruno Trentin to enhance, to some extent, the Fordism's crisis and the advent of the third industrial revolution. Although the so-called Post-fordism entails a number of social risks, it also gives the opportunity to return freedom and creativity to the work, by getting rid of Fordist hierarchical models, as well as to reconstruct the original roles and functions of Trade Unions. In the last part of the article, Bruno Trentin's central idea of freedom of work and the concept of work are explored.