Abstract:
Using the ‘convergence-divergence’ thesis as the baseline for the study of industrial
relations and trade union activities in multinational subsidiaries, the present study tried
to investigate extent of the trade union activities and IR practices of MNCs in a
developing country context, i.e. Bangladesh, as well as influence of the MNCs on trade
unions and IR activities within the existing social and economic contexts. The study
revealed that comparative power dominance of multinationals over the host country
industrial relations actors emerge as the vital factor in employer-union bargaining
process, as well as their capacity to manipulate the existing bargaining process also
helped them to implement their desired practices in Bangladesh. However, multinationals
were not in confronting mode at all the circumstances, but their potential lobbying power
created difficulties for the employees and the trade unions to develop countervailing
power in the collective bargaining process and IR activities.
