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1 – 10 of over 15000David Farnham and Lesley Giles
Analyses union membership trends in the UK since 1979. Confirms theconventional wisdom that overall there has been a substantial membershipleakage from UK trade unions for almost…
Abstract
Analyses union membership trends in the UK since 1979. Confirms the conventional wisdom that overall there has been a substantial membership leakage from UK trade unions for almost a decade and a half. Summarizes and discusses reasons for this. Goes on to show, however, that this overall trend masks a surprisingly steady and sustained growth of employee membership of “non‐affiliated” unions of professional workers and of staff associations, during the 1980s and early 1990s. Examines this stark contrast between falling membership among highly unionate traditional unions and lowly unionate, “non‐political” employee organizations. Explores the characteristics of the “new moderate unionism” in terms of its membership, size, sectoral, gender and industrial distributions and discusses the future prospects of this remarkably resilient group of employee organizations. Classifies them as “publicsector professional associations” and “privatesector staff associations”. Finally, evaluates the nature and ideologies of the “new moderate unionism” in the context of recent managerial employment strategies.
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Reviews the literature on trade union membership in OECD countries.After considering the ways in which trade union membership is measured,trends in both membership and density…
Abstract
Reviews the literature on trade union membership in OECD countries. After considering the ways in which trade union membership is measured, trends in both membership and density since 1970 are examined. When cross‐sectional determinants are considered, density is found to be unrelated to size of employment in the manufacturing sector and the share of female employment, but it is related to the level of collective bargaining and the size of the public sector. An examination of individual and job‐related characteristics finds membership is higher among males, those with family responsibilities, those with lower occupational status and those with low educational achievements and that job dissatisfaction and left‐wing views are also important. Time‐series studies find that while union growth and decline are linked to the business cycle, with wages, prices and unemployment affecting membership, economic factors are not the sole explanation. Concludes by surveying the causes of union decline since 1980, together with recent error‐correction and cointegration approaches to modelling trade union membership.
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In the last monograph an attempt was made at giving a short historical background of the trade union movement; at defining a trade union; at discussing the closed shop and at…
Explanations of union growth and decline are generally linked totrends in the business cycle which are reflected primarily in prices,wages and unemployment – an example of this…
Abstract
Explanations of union growth and decline are generally linked to trends in the business cycle which are reflected primarily in prices, wages and unemployment – an example of this approach is the Bain and Elsheikh model – explanations not entirely appropriate in a country with a developing economy and one‐party state like Zambia. Finds political factors to be a more influential and more comprehensive explanation of union growth but the relationship between state and trade unions is set to change as a result of recent political changes in Zambia. Suggests effect on trade unions and membership levels will be considerable.
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Santanu Sarkar and Ranabir Chakraborty
We were intrigued by the question of whether the convergence of businesses across nations in search of flexibility to survive economic crisis led to a convergence of the annual…
Abstract
Purpose
We were intrigued by the question of whether the convergence of businesses across nations in search of flexibility to survive economic crisis led to a convergence of the annual rate of change of union membership. The question emerged because the convergence theory was controverted, especially when the neo-capitalist idea failed to withstand the test of time during the economic crisis.
Design/methodology/approach
By adopting the model from Bain and Elsheik (1976) and using time-series data from 1990 to 2014 for Finland and India that survived economic crisis during this period, whereby union membership remained steady in Finland but declined in India, we assessed the empirical distinction between the changes in union membership.
Findings
We argued that when hit by an economic crisis, different nations had divergent responses and chose different means of economic recovery because of which the countries have not withstood the crisis in one specific way/direction that at all times, marginalises unions. Our main finding is that in both the countries, the annual rate of change of union membership during the years of economic recovery was determined by the policy response. And, policy responses were determined not only by the causes of economic crisis but also by the strength of unique national institutional configurations and history of the country.
Originality/value
The annual rate of change of union membership during the years of economic recovery was determined by the policy response. And, policy responses were determined not only by the causes of economic crisis but also by the strength of unique national institutional configurations and history of the country.
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Jonathon R.B. Halbesleben and M. Ronald Buckley
In a recent review of the history of women in unions, the author suggested that downturns in the economy have had a more significant effect on women than men in unions, leading to…
Abstract
Purpose
In a recent review of the history of women in unions, the author suggested that downturns in the economy have had a more significant effect on women than men in unions, leading to significant declines in the membership of women in unions. The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between economic cycles and women's membership in unions.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper investigates that relationship using both quantitative and historical methods and generate evidence for the proposal.
Findings
Based on the historical and quantitative analysis, it is concluded that a more accurate way to depict the situation is to say that economic conditions influence union membership through a number of important intervening variables and, furthermore, that changes in those intervening variables over the past 40 years have substantially influenced the relationship between economics and union membership.
Originality/value
This paper is unique in its combination of historical and empirical approaches to addressing questions of a historical nature. The paper addresses an interesting proposal regarding relationships between economics and gender in union membership
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Knight's Industrial Law Reports goes into a new style and format as Managerial Law This issue of KILR is restyled Managerial Law and it now appears on a continuous updating basis…
Abstract
Knight's Industrial Law Reports goes into a new style and format as Managerial Law This issue of KILR is restyled Managerial Law and it now appears on a continuous updating basis rather than as a monthly routine affair.
Seeks to examine the link between union membership and unionrecognition by using the nested multinomial logit model. Explains theapplication to modelling union membership…
Abstract
Seeks to examine the link between union membership and union recognition by using the nested multinomial logit model. Explains the application to modelling union membership, dividing variables into blue– and white‐collar workers. Concludes that the most important determinant of union membership is the workers′ perception of the employer′s attitude to unions.
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Eunice S. Han and Jeffrey Keefe
The research predicts which public school teachers are likely to resign their union membership since agency fees were found unconstitutional in Janus v. AFSCME. We compare…
Abstract
The research predicts which public school teachers are likely to resign their union membership since agency fees were found unconstitutional in Janus v. AFSCME. We compare teachers in right-to-work states with comprehensive collective bargaining laws with teachers in former agency shop states, using unique district-teacher matched data constructed from the School and Staffing Survey. We find that teachers who are male, Hispanic, part-time, with alternative certification, work either in charter schools or in schools with more students qualifying for free lunches are more likely to become nonunion. Teachers who are black, work under a collective bargaining, have post-graduate degrees, are more experienced, work in larger schools or in areas with a higher cost of living, perceive more school problems or a poor school climate, work in an elementary school, or teach special education are more likely to remain union members now that agency shop provisions are unenforceable.
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In order to succeed in an action under the Equal Pay Act 1970, should the woman and the man be employed by the same employer on like work at the same time or would the woman still…
Abstract
In order to succeed in an action under the Equal Pay Act 1970, should the woman and the man be employed by the same employer on like work at the same time or would the woman still be covered by the Act if she were employed on like work in succession to the man? This is the question which had to be solved in Macarthys Ltd v. Smith. Unfortunately it was not. Their Lordships interpreted the relevant section in different ways and since Article 119 of the Treaty of Rome was also subject to different interpretations, the case has been referred to the European Court of Justice.