The article discusses the challenges faced by the telecommunication unions which had an important role worldwide in influencing the industry's work and employment conditions after market liberalization. The analysis focuses on Brazil and the United States, and brief references are made to both the German and the British cases. The objective is answering the question: which have been the consequences for telecommunication unions since the recent changes in the industry crisis or renovation? Evidence shows that unions are developing new strategies to cope with current difficulties. The conclusion is that despite being negatively affected, unions are creating new strategies that, although incapable of bringing back the past influence, have been able to keep away the so-called anticipated crisis. The different responses of unions are attributed to different institutional arrangements.
Telecommunications; Liberalization; Unions; Brazil; United States
