Job satisfaction and union participation in China: Developing and testing a mediated moderation model
ISSN: 0142-5455
Article publication date: 12 July 2018
Issue publication date: 13 September 2018
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to offer empirical evidence on whether and how the work experiences of employees in China influence their union-related attitudes and behaviours.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors developed a mediated moderation model to examine how job satisfaction and labour relations climate interactively affect union participation and whether union commitment mediates the interactive effects. A total of 585 employees from enterprises in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangxi and Fujian province of China were surveyed to verify the model.
Findings
Job satisfaction was negatively related to union participation and union commitment. Labour relations climate moderated the relationship between job satisfaction and union participation; the relationship was negative and stronger when employees perceived an adverse, rather than a favourable, labour relations climate. Further, the interactive effect of job satisfaction and labour relations climate on union participation was partly mediated by union commitment.
Originality/value
By empirically examining employees’ attitudes and behaviours towards unions in the Chinese context, this study confirms that unions could provide employees with alternative work resources to cope with job dissatisfaction, even in a country where unions play a “transmission belt” role between employees and employers. This study adds value to the existing base of knowledge on union practice and labour relations construction, both inside and outside of China.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (71573123, 71772087 and 71473131), the Human Resource Development Research Base of Jiangsu Province (2017ZSJD002) and the Major Program of the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (NP2017302) is gratefully acknowledged.
Citation
Hu, E., Zhang, M., Shan, H., Zhang, L. and Yue, Y. (2018), "Job satisfaction and union participation in China: Developing and testing a mediated moderation model", Employee Relations, Vol. 40 No. 6, pp. 964-980. https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-10-2017-0245
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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