”solidarity unionism” refers to workers’ organizations – unions in the broad sense of the word – which do not prioritize seeking recognition from governments or employers, and do not consider collective agreements as the ultimate goal of industrial action.

They emphasize rank-and-file organization, i.e. forming a strong, tightly-knit base. They are organizations created by the workers themselves, to serve their own interests, whether those are related to the workplace or the community where they live. Solidarity unions rely directly on the strength of their members and pursue their goals
of building power and winning gains through direct action; direct action being, sit-ins, workplace occupations, sabotage and, of course, strikes, as opposed to mediated actions like collective bargaining, electoral politics, negotiations, protests and arbitration.