Solidarity unionism

Solidarity unionism is a model of labor organizing in which the workers themselves formulate strategy and take action against the company directly without mediation from government or paid union representatives. The term originated in a 1978 book Labor Law for the Rank and Filer by Staughton Lynd who described a model of organizing promoted in the early 20th century by the Industrial Workers of the World which eschews the formality and bureaucracy of government-recognized unions, which Lynd and co-author Daniel Gross refer to as "business unions."

Supporters feel that enabling a union which does not need to win support from a majority of workers makes it easier to organize and gain workplace improvements. This model was tried in the early 2000's by the IWW to organize Starbucks unions in the United States.