IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/ilrrev/v66y2013i1p142-168.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Labor Unions, Alternative Forms of Representation, and the Exercise of Authority Relations in U.S. Workplaces

Author

Listed:
  • John Godard
  • Carola Frege

Abstract

The authors draw on a telephone survey of 1,000 U.S. workers to explore whether alternative, nonunion forms of representation are filling the gap left by union decline; whether this matters to authority relations at work; and whether these first two points help to explain union decline. The authors find that nonunion associations do not appear to be filling the gap, but that management established, nonunion representation systems are one-and-a-half times as widespread as is union representation and are evaluated somewhat more favorably by workers. Both unions and management-established systems bear positive associations with authority relations at work before controlling for management practices, but these are substantially weakened once management practices—especially “bureaucratic†practices—are entered. The authors argue that, in the case of unions, this is likely because unions cause employers to adopt these practices. This is not likely to be the case of management-established systems, however, which are more likely to be set up in conjunction with these practices. Finally, results suggest that management-established systems are often in violation of the Wagner Act, but they bear no association with the propensity to vote for a union. Instead, bureaucratic practices matter, independently of these systems.

Suggested Citation

  • John Godard & Carola Frege, 2013. "Labor Unions, Alternative Forms of Representation, and the Exercise of Authority Relations in U.S. Workplaces," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 66(1), pages 142-168, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:ilrrev:v:66:y:2013:i:1:p:142-168
    DOI: 10.1177/001979391306600106
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/001979391306600106
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/001979391306600106?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nattavudh Powdthavee, 2011. "Anticipation, Free-Rider Problems, and Adaptation to Trade Unions: Re-Examining the Curious Case of Dissatisfied Union Members," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 64(5), pages 1000-1019, October.
    2. John Godard, 2011. "Uncertainty and the Correlates of Union Voting Propensity: An Organizing Perspective," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(3), pages 472-496, July.
    3. Barry T. Hirsch & David A. MacPherson & J. Michael Dumond, 1997. "Workers#x0027; Compensation Recipiency in Union and Nonunion Workplaces," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 50(2), pages 213-236, January.
    4. Alex Bryson & Lorenzo Cappellari & Claudio Lucifora, 2004. "Does Union Membership Really Reduce Job Satisfaction?," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 42(3), pages 439-459, September.
    5. Mark Harcourt & Geoffrey Wood & Sondra Harcourt, 2004. "Do Unions Affect Employer Compliance with the Law? New Zealand Evidence for Age Discrimination," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 42(3), pages 527-541, September.
    6. Jack Fiorito & Cheryl L. Maranto, 1987. "The Contemporary Decline Of Union Strength," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 5(4), pages 12-27, October.
    7. Hodson,Randy, 2001. "Dignity at Work," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521771313, October.
    8. Hodson,Randy, 2001. "Dignity at Work," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521778121, October.
    9. Bruce E. Kaufman, 2005. "What Do Unions Do?--Evaluation and Commentary," Journal of Labor Research, Transaction Publishers, vol. 26(4), pages 555-596, November.
    10. Daphne Gottlieb Taras & Jason Copping, 1998. "The Transition from Formal Nonunion Representation to Unionization: A Contemporary Case," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 52(1), pages 22-44, October.
    11. Fairris, David, 1995. "From Exit to Voice in Shopfloor Governance: The Case of Company Unions," Business History Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 69(4), pages 494-529, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Olivier Guillot & Magali Jaoul-Grammare & Isabelle Terraz, 2024. "Job strain and union membership: An empirical study based on French data," Working Papers of BETA 2024-08, Bureau d'Economie Théorique et Appliquée, UDS, Strasbourg.
    2. Michel Anteby & Curtis K. Chan, 2018. "A Self-Fulfilling Cycle of Coercive Surveillance: Workers’ Invisibility Practices and Managerial Justification," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 29(2), pages 247-263, April.
    3. Olivier Guillot & Magali Jaoul-Grammare & Isabelle Terraz, 2019. "Union Membership in France: An Empirical Study," Working Papers of BETA 2019-04, Bureau d'Economie Théorique et Appliquée, UDS, Strasbourg.
    4. Artz, Benjamin & Blanchflower, David G. & Bryson, Alex, 2022. "Unions increase job satisfaction in the United States," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 203(C), pages 173-188.
    5. César González-Cantón & Sonia Boulos & Pablo Sánchez-Garrido, 2019. "Exploring the Link Between Human Rights, the Capability Approach and Corporate Responsibility," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 160(4), pages 865-879, December.
    6. Michael Pirson, 2019. "A Humanistic Perspective for Management Theory: Protecting Dignity and Promoting Well-Being," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 159(1), pages 39-57, September.
    7. Anne Junor & John O'Brien & Michael O'Donnell, 2009. "Welfare wars: public service frontline absenteeism as collective resistance," Qualitative Research in Accounting & Management, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 6(1/2), pages 26-40, March.
    8. repec:ilr:articl:v:65:y:2012:i:2:p:263-285 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. George A. Akerlof, 2007. "The Missing Motivation in Macroeconomics," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 97(1), pages 5-36, March.
    10. Alex Bryson & Michael White, 2016. "Not so dissatisfied after all? The impact of union coverage on job satisfaction," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 68(4), pages 898-919.
    11. Daniel B. Cornfield, 2005. "Professions and inter-disciplinary teamwork in socially embedded bureaucracies: Synthesis and hypotheses on the impact of informal and formal organization," Enterprise and Work Innovation Studies, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, IET/CICS.NOVA-Interdisciplinary Centre on Social Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, vol. 1(1), pages 27-36, November.
    12. Hemantika Basu, 2019. "Mode of Work Organization in Nursing: Management Practices in Private Healthcare in India," Management and Labour Studies, XLRI Jamshedpur, School of Business Management & Human Resources, vol. 44(4), pages 433-454, November.
    13. Peccei, R.E., 2004. "Human Resource Management And The Search For The Happy Workplace," ERIM Inaugural Address Series Research in Management EIA-2004-021-ORG, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus University Rotterdam..
    14. Cam Caldwell & Mayra Canuto-Carranco, 2010. "“Organizational Terrorism” and Moral Choices – Exercising Voice When the Leader is the Problem," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 97(1), pages 159-171, November.
    15. Ramaswami Mahalingam & Patturaja Selvaraj, 2022. "Ambedkar, Radical Interdependence and Dignity: A Study of Women Mall Janitors in India," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 177(4), pages 813-828, May.
    16. Pierre Brochu & Louis-Philippe Morin, 2011. "Union Membership and Perceived Job Insecurity: 30 Years of Evidence from the American General social Survey," Working Papers 1106E, University of Ottawa, Department of Economics.
    17. Nicola M. Pless & Thomas Maak & Howard Harris, 2017. "Art, Ethics and the Promotion of Human Dignity," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 144(2), pages 223-232, August.
    18. Zawadzki Michał, 2018. "Dignity in the Workplace. The Perspective of Humanistic Management," Journal of Management and Business Administration. Central Europe, Sciendo, vol. 26(1), pages 171-188, March.
    19. John Paul Stephens & Jason Kanov, 2017. "Stories as Artworks: Giving Form to Felt Dignity in Connections at Work," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 144(2), pages 235-249, August.
    20. Rachael Pope, 2017. "The NHS: Sticking Fingers in Its Ears, Humming Loudly," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 145(3), pages 577-598, October.
    21. Thespina J. Yamanis & Samhita Rao & Alexandra J. Reichert & Rachel Haws & Taryn Morrissey & Angela Suarez, 2024. "Dignity of Work and at Work: The Relationship between Workplace Dignity and Health among Latino Immigrants during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(7), pages 1-17, June.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:ilrrev:v:66:y:2013:i:1:p:142-168. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.ilr.cornell.edu .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.