PAGE 1 “Vulnerable Workers in Action: Self-Organization and Unionism in the Work Fragmentation” Daniele Di Nunzio 1 Draft paper XVIII ISA World Congress of Sociology Session: “Work, Subjectivity and Social Movements” Wednesday, July 16, 2014 - Yokohama - Japan RC47 Social Classes and Social Movements (host committee) Published in: Di Nunzio D., 2016, “Les travailleurs précaires en action: l’affirmation des sujets dans la crise de la démocratie”, in Pleyers G., Capitaine B. (eds.), Mouvements sociaux. Quand le sujet deviant acteur, France, Edition de la Maison des sciences de l’homme, pp. 131-146. Introduction In the present paper we discuss the main findings of a research project on “vulnerable workers and subjectivity”. Goals of the project are: a) the analysis of the working and living conditions of vulnerable workers; b) the analysis of the vulnerable workers’ collective actions to affirm their rights and their idea of society; c) the analysis of the relationship between vulnerable workers’ actions and the union actions. Our research methods are: analysis of data and literature; in-depth interviews with unionists, activists, workers, unemployed people; workshops; participative observations. In Chapter 1 we analyze the link between vulnerability and flexibility, considered as the main trend in the contemporary world of work; in Chapter 2 we analyze some experiences of vulnerable workers’ collective actions in Italy; in Chapter 3 we analyze the vulnerable workers’ meaning of action, considering the need to socialize and to share the experiences and the need to affirm the 1 Researcher, Associazione Bruno Trentin - IRES - ISF (ITALY) - www.ires.it Email: d.dinunzio@ires.it