Abstract
This paper explores organisational crises resulting from company restructuring and reorganisation, highlighting them as a crucial area for crisis communication research. It addresses the limited academic focus on restructuring crises compared to other types, such as industrial accidents or environmental scandals, and argues for their significant reputational implications. Building on Frandsen and Johansen’s (2016) multivocal framework, the study investigates how actors like trade unions, media, administrative bodies, and companies interact to shape narratives and influence outcomes during restructuring. Trade unions, in particular, play a crucial role in challenging corporate narratives and shaping public opinion, potentially turning organisational changes into reputational crises with financial and operational consequences. The paper concludes by urging further research into contextual factors—such as income, education, industrial relations culture, and company reputation—that affect trade unions' power in the rhetorical arena, aiming to develop a comprehensive framework for analysing and managing reorganisation crises.