Naughton, MaryMaryNaughton2022-01-102022-01-102021 Brian2022-03Industrial Relations Journal0019-8692http://hdl.handle.net/10197/12708Framing is regarded as the primary mechanism through which unions generate societal power. This article examines the relationship between societal power and framing in a significant case study- a nursing strike which successfully challenged austerity wages in Ireland. Through analysis of messages of support for the strike in newspapers and on Twitter, the sources of societal power in the conflict are identified. The findings indicate that the framing strategies unions adopt and public acceptance of these strategies depend on historical and sectoral factors. In the instant case, nurses benefitted from increased societal support for the broader labour movement and recent waves of protest.enThis is the pre-peer reviewed version of the following article: Naughton, M. (March 2022). Mobilising societal power: Understanding public support for nursing strikes. Industrial Relations Journal, 1– 17., which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/irj.12356. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions."Industrial relationsHealthcareFramingPower resourcesNursesIrelandJournal Article5329310910.1111/irj.12356725240https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ie/