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Organizing the Organizers: Professional Staff Unionism in the American Labor Movement

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  • Paul F. Clark

Abstract

This study summarizes the history of bargaining units formed to represent professional employees of American unions and presents the results of a 1987–88 survey of officers of 40 such professional staff unions. These special unions, which date to the early 1950s, resemble conventional unions in the bargaining issues that are most important to them (job security and salaries), as well as in their relationships with management (in this case, union leaders), which range from amicable to antagonistic. They differ sharply, however, in their infrequent use of strikes. Professional staff unionism is most common in large, industrial unions, less common in smaller industrial, professional, and service unions, and virtually nonexistent in the building trades.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul F. Clark, 1989. "Organizing the Organizers: Professional Staff Unionism in the American Labor Movement," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 42(4), pages 584-599, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ilrrev:v:42:y:1989:i:4:p:584-599
    DOI: 10.1177/001979398904200408
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. John T. Dunlop, 1977. "Industrial Relations, Labor Economics, and Policy Decisions," Challenge, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(2), pages 6-12, May.
    2. Shair, David I, 1970. "Labor Organizations as Employers: 'Unions-Within-Unions'," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 43(3), pages 296-316, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Rachel Aleks & Tina Saksida & Sam Kolahgar, 2021. "Practice What You Preach: The Gender Pay Gap in Labor Union Compensation," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(4), pages 403-435, October.
    2. Paul F. Clark & Greg J. Bamber & Paul V. Whitehead & Lois S. Gray & Sandra Cockfield & Kay Gilbert, 2021. "Does Modernizing Union Administrative Practices Promote or Hinder Union Revitalization? A Comparative Study of US, UK and Australian Unions," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 59(2), pages 370-397, June.

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