Organizing at the Margins: The Symbolic Politics of Labor in South Korea and the United States (review)

Although scholars acknowledge the race to the bottom in both the global North and South, there are few that offer a contrasting view of workers' experiences in both sets of geographical areas. Chun's greatest contribution is challenging the belief in American exceptionalism and reducing our ignorance of workers' militancy in South Korea. Chun's text clearly illustrates the growing similarities in the experiences of those working "at the margins" in both geographical areas. The analysis presented substantiates the fact that labor laws in the United States and South Korea are insufficient to protect the interests of irregular/nonstandard workers. In both cases, workers have found means, other than existing labor laws, through which to improve their wages and working conditions.

Initially the text seems promising, highlighting how symbolic leverage has been a powerful tool for these marginalized workers to improve their working conditions. While Chun presents examples of the way workers in different movements used symbolic leverage, the presentation lacks the depth that is usually offered in Frame Analysis. For example, the reader is informed of the use of moral arguments in defense of older female golf caddies. Chun explains how their involvement contrasts with the typical militant unionist who is perceived as male and usually young. Yet, we do not observe a deeper explanation of how expected social roles for women in the society interact with the images presented by the movement of the older female workers. Similarly, the call for justice in the United States is not clearly analyzed in relation to broader social values. One wonders whether the moral appeal in movements such as Justice for Janitors is successful because it resonates with wide audiences or because it resonates with a small, yet activist and progressive community of students and religious groups. Nor is it clear exactly how the labor movement's frame aligns with worldviews in the larger community. Although, the comparative character of this book would make such a task unwieldy, the attempt to focus on the significance of symbolic leverage without more depth leaves the reader wanting.

Through her findings, Chun presents important challenges for both scholars and activists. Provided nonstandard workers can not rely on the legal framework to defend their rights (as they are not protected by labor laws) and given their lack political power (because they are low-income and usually minority, female workers), it is in the symbolic realm where they have found sufficient leverage to wage their labor campaigns, through the moralistic clamors for justice and fairness. For scholars, this poses the challenge of seeking to understand under what conditions such symbolic struggles are successful and what leads to failure. For labor movement activists, it brings to the forefront the need to validate the approaches workers on the margins have found to improve their situations. Chun's analysis illustrates the ways business unionism has taken positions harming the interests of nonstandard workers. In order to develop solidarity between elite workers and those in the margins, elite workers will need to let go of some long-standing strategies and beliefs.

The relevance of any book is best understood in the context in which it would be used. Chun's piece is very valuable for undergraduate courses on labor studies, work organization and labor movements. By offering an explanation of what is meant by nonstandard work and a clear illustration of the bad conditions these workers endure, students are better prepared to understand why workers mobilize. The story nicely shows the many challenges workers face in forming a union, as well as the difficulties for the unions to be officially recognized and gain labor contracts. It is evident that the workers' achievements have taken years of commitment and struggle. Chun's style is engaging as she explains the complex relationships within each nation's labor movement: how traditional unions have been hesitant to mobilize workers in the margins; the way...