Trade unions and precariat in Europe : representative claims

Trade unions have been charged with neglecting labour market ‘outsiders’, while alternative actors have emerged to represent these. In response, unions have stepped up their claim to be representative of all workers, without distinction. We review the theoretical and policy debates on this issue, and argue that representation as such has been under-theorized. We draw on Saward’s concept of ‘representative claims’ to analyse the different grounds for competing assertions of representativeness. We identify four main forms of claims, and illustrate these with empirical examples. We conclude that these different claims are mutually reinforcing in stimulating attention to the outsiders, and in their interaction with institutional settings, they have a performative effect in defining new social actors

Fast Control Systems: Nonlinear Approach

International audienceThis chapter treats the problem of fast control design for nonlinear systems. First, we discusses the question: which nonlinear system can be called fast? Next, we develop some tools for analysis and design of such control systems. The method generalized homogeneity is mainly utilized for these purposes. Finally, we survey possible research directions of the fast control systems