Union decline: a view from Canada

Article Abstract:

Important changes are occurring in the Canadian unions' political and economic environments. This paper argues that such changes may be detrimental to Canadian trade unions, given their structural and institutional situation. To support this argument, private-sector union and nonunion firms in Alberta are compared. This comparison uncovers some structural (union members' employment patterns and union firm characteristics) and institutional (union services) attributes of unions. Combined with the politico-economic environments that Alberta unions have faced since the early 1980s, these attributes have led to a decline in union membership. Because these attributes are shared by many other Canadian unions, those unions may increasingly confront some of the same hardships currently plaguing their Alberta counterparts. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Economic policy

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Employee involvement programs: should unions get involved?

Article Abstract:

We test the mediated effects of participation in employee involvement (EI) programs on employee desires for union involvement in the future development and diffusion of EI and the perceived durability of an EI program as a possible moderator of these effects. Results indicate that participants developed more positive attitudes toward the EI program than nonparticipants and, in turn, these attitudes were related to higher desires for union involvement in EI. Additionally, volunteers developed more positive attitudes toward the EI program than nonvolunteers and, in turn, these attitudes were related to higher desires for union involvement in EI. However, the relationship between attitudes toward EI and union involvement in EI was significantly less positive for participants who viewed the EI program as durable. (Reprinted with permission by author.)

Economic aspects, Training, Participatory management, Human resource management )

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Manufacturing employees and technological change

Article Abstract:

Understanding why some workers resist technological change while others accept and facilitate it may be crucial for the survival of manufacturing firms. This study analyzes managers' perceptions of employees' reactions to technological changes at 206 Canadian manufacturing plants that made technological changes in their production operations between 1980 and 1986. The results indicate that the presence of a union and a technology clause in the contract significantly increase managers' perceptions of employee resistance to technological changes. To avoid worker resistance to such changes, the results suggest that management should provide workers with an effective participation in the decision-making process and, if feasible, choose technology that will increase workers' skill requirements. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Psychological aspects, Social aspects, Methods, Management, Manufacturing industry, Manufacturing industries, Corporations, Technological innovations, Workers, Corporations, Canadian

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