Union elections in warehouse and storage facilities

Abstract

Purpose

To examine union elections conducted by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in warehouse and storage facilities in the USA.

Design/methodology/approach

Data on all 167 elections (October 1999 and February 2002) held in warehouse and storage facilities in the USA was obtained from the NLRB. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to study the impact of a number of factors on election outcomes.

Findings

The probability of union victory significantly improved in smaller bargaining units and when more than one union was on the ballot. Type of warehouse, type of election, procedural delays by management, and state's public policy did not significantly impact election outcomes.

Research limitations/implications

The data are limited to union elections held during the period October 1999‐February 2002.

Practical implications

A very useful source of information for managers, union leaders, and researchers of warehouses and storage facilities.

Originality/value

This is the only study of its kind in the period covered.

Citation

Deshpande, S.P. and Palthe, J. (2007), "Union elections in warehouse and storage facilities", Competitiveness Review, Vol. 17 No. 1/2, pp. 118-128. https://doi.org/10.1108/10595420710816669