Trade union ideology, which is also embraced by many scholars, sees the trade unions as a “political and
bargaining subject” only. However, trade union practice, as concretely embodied by the supply system offered
to the workers, is centred on individual (and collective) defence and on the provision of services, while
sectorial and confederal collective bargaining only comes third. Trade unionism is thus like a two-faced coin:
the first face, that of the “political and bargaining subject”, is declining both in the perception of the public
opinion and in the picture outlined by quantitative indicators; the second face, that of paid defence and
services, seems to be, at least up to today, constantly growing. This article explores in depth these old and
new dimensions of the trade union supply system, proposing a quantitative measure for each element of the
supply basket in terms of turnover, number of activities carried out, and personnel involved.
