Building Strong Unions Union Participation

Formal Participation Regular Formal Activity Holding union office Serving on a committee Working on a political campaign Working on an organizing committee

Regular Formal Activity

Holding union office

Serving on a committee

Working on a political campaign

Working on an organizing committee

Intermittent Formal Attending a union meeting Voting for officers Voting on the contract Walking a picket line

Attending a union meeting

Voting for officers

Voting on the contract

Walking a picket line

Informal Participation Characterized as unstructured, supportive, informal activities Speaking up in defense of union Discussing contract with new hire Advising members how union helps

Characterized as unstructured, supportive, informal activities

Speaking up in defense of union

Discussing contract with new hire

Advising members how union helps

Union Citizenship Behaviors (UCB) Sum of Individual members’ informal participation Significant impact on union effectiveness Unions have greater success engaging members in less formal types of participation Fewer barriers of associated qualification Often require less time commitment

Sum of Individual members’ informal participation

Significant impact on union effectiveness

Unions have greater success engaging members in less formal types of participation

Fewer barriers of associated qualification

Often require less time commitment

UCB Characteristics of the individual Environment in which the individual operates Member Participation is a form of behavior Affected by attitude and/or beliefs Member may choose not to participate

Characteristics of the individual

Environment in which the individual operates

Member Participation is a form of behavior

Affected by attitude and/or beliefs

Member may choose not to participate

Building a Strong Union Focus on member attitudes and beliefs Create an environment within union Encourages and rewards participation Encourages and rewards support Encourages behavior that benefits the union

Focus on member attitudes and beliefs

Create an environment within union

Encourages and rewards participation

Encourages and rewards support

Encourages behavior that benefits the union

Model of Individual Behavior

Attitudes and Beliefs Individuals not born with attitudes and beliefs Product of experiences Information received from sources New experiences can reshape attitude Foster new attitudes

Individuals not born with attitudes and beliefs

Product of experiences

Information received from sources

New experiences can reshape attitude

Foster new attitudes

Union Member Commitment Most Satisfied – Positive Attitude – About Union Satisfied – most committed Union performance Treatment by union officials Operation of grievance procedure First year experience with union was positive

Most Satisfied – Positive Attitude – About Union

Satisfied – most committed

Union performance

Treatment by union officials

Operation of grievance procedure

First year experience with union was positive

Member Commitment Four Parts Union Loyalty Responsibility to Union Willingness to work on behalf of Union General belief in unionism

Four Parts

Union Loyalty

Responsibility to Union

Willingness to work on behalf of Union

General belief in unionism

Loyalty Reflects a high degree of loyalty Takes pride in association with union Have clear awareness of benefits of membership

Reflects a high degree of loyalty

Takes pride in association with union

Have clear awareness of benefits of membership

Responsibility to Union Recognize and be willing to fulfill day-to-day obligations Keeping union members informed Filing grievances

Recognize and be willing to fulfill day-to-day obligations

Keeping union members informed

Filing grievances

Willingness to work Serve as union officer Serve on negotiation committee Serve as political action activist Coordinate internal organizing activities

Serve as union officer

Serve on negotiation committee

Serve as political action activist

Coordinate internal organizing activities

Belief in Unionism Believes in unionism in general Deep seated positive attitude towards unions Strongly supports the unions Actively and consistently participates

Believes in unionism in general

Deep seated positive attitude towards unions

Strongly supports the unions

Actively and consistently participates

Commitment and Participation Union commitment is an attitude Union participation is a behavior Commitment closely tied to attitude High level of commitment More likely to participate High levels of participation lead to more effective union

Union commitment is an attitude

Union participation is a behavior

Commitment closely tied to attitude

High level of commitment

More likely to participate

High levels of participation lead to more effective union

Big Labor Attitude View of union and union leaders Self Interested Opposed to change Autocratic Opposed to change Overly focused on politics

View of union and union leaders

Self Interested

Opposed to change

Autocratic

Opposed to change

Overly focused on politics

Describes Does not Unions play an important role in ensuring workers’ pay is fair and equitable 64% 31% 5% Don’t Know Unions go too far in protecting workers who are incompetent or inefficient Describes Does not Don’t know 57% 36% 7% Source: USA Today labor “Workers Assess Conditions, Unions, Pay,” 1997

Specific Union Attitudes Attitudes about specific union may different Members’ view of their representative union Grouped into three dimensions Instrumentality Satisfaction Perceived union support

Attitudes about specific union may different

Members’ view of their representative union

Grouped into three dimensions

Instrumentality

Satisfaction

Perceived union support

Impact of Specific and General Attitudes on Union Commitment General Attitudes about Unions - Big Labor Image - Instrumentality Specific Attitudes about Unions Instrumentality Satisfaction - Perceived Support Member Commitment Attitudes Member Participation Behavior

Specific Attitudes about Unions

Instrumentality

Satisfaction

- Perceived Support

Model of Member Participation Member Commitment (Attitudes) Union Environment (Culture, Leadership ) Member Participation (Behavior) Union Effectiveness

Instructor’s Closing Comments Union Participation