Building more effective unions PDF
Preview Building more effective unions
BUILDING MORE EFFECTIVE UNIONS BUILDING MORE EFFECTIVE UNIONS SECOND EDITION Paul F. Clark ILR Press AN IMPRINT OF Cornell University Press ITHACA AND LONDON Copyright © 2000, 2009 by Cornell University Second edition All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in a review, this book, or parts thereof, must not be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher. For information, address Cornell University Press, Sage House, 512 East State Street, Ithaca, New York 14850. First published 2000 by Cornell University Press First printing, second edition, Cornell Paperbacks, 2009 Printed in the United States of America Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Clark, Paul F., 1954– Building more effective unions / Paul F. Clark.—2nd ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-8014-7519-1 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Labor unions—United States. 2. Labor union members—United States—Attitudes. 3. Labor unions—Organizing—United States. I. Title. HD6508.C563 2009 331.88—dc22 2008052544 Cornell University Press strives to use environmentally responsible suppliers and materials to the fullest extent possible in the publishing of its books. Such materials include vegetable-based, low-VOC inks and acid-free papers that are recycled, totally chlorine-free, or partly composed of nonwood fibers. For further information, visit our website at www.cornellpress.cornell.edu. Paperback printing 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Contents Acknowledgments vii Introduction ix List of Union Acronyms xiii Chapter 1 Behavioral Science and Union Effectiveness 1 Chapter 2 Union Participation: A Model 14 Chapter 3 Organizing and Retaining Members 32 Chapter 4 Union Member Orientation and Socialization 53 Chapter 5 Political Action 71 Chapter 6 Grievance Procedures 90 Chapter 7 Information and Communication Strategies 106 Chapter 8 Union Image-Building 124 Chapter 9 Union Culture 142 Chapter 10 Union Leadership 169 Chapter 11 Conclusion 188 References 195 Index 209 v Acknowledgments O ver the last thirty years I have had the opportunity to work with a wide variety of unions and their members, both on labor education programs and on re- search projects. While I hope my efforts on behalf of these unions have been of some value, I know that I have learned a great deal in the course of this work. What follows derives largely from those experiences. The first edition of this book, published in 2000, drew heavily on my experience working with a wide variety of unions on labor education programs and on re- search projects. The book has been very well received by union leaders, union members, and union and university educators. I am greatly appreciative of the many unions that have invited me to conduct workshops and seminars on the is- sues addressed in the book. The participants in those programs have provided many additional ideas and strategies for building greater member commitment and participation. This second edition incorporates many of those ideas, draws on research published since 2000, addresses new developments in the labor move- ment, and updates statistics and examples. Once again I would like to thank the national and local union leaders, union staff, and members with whom I have had the privilege to work over the years. I also thank my colleagues on the academic side, both past and present. I have been particularly fortunate to work with many fine labor scholars and labor educators at Penn State. Their support and insights are acknowledged and appreciated, as are the contributions of various graduate students who have worked with me as re- search assistants. In particular, I want to thank Don Fiorilli, Olivia Guevera, and Michael Wasser. And I would be remiss if I did not thank Amy Dietz. Her effi- ciency in running the Labor Studies office at Penn State has made it possible for me to steal an hour here and there to work on this revision. This book benefited greatly from early collaboration with four colleagues—Ju- lian Barling of Queen’s University, Clive Fullagar of Kansas State University, Kevin vii viii Acknowledgments Kelloway of St. Mary’s University, and Daniel Gallagher of James Madison Univer- sity—all of whom contributed conceptually and substantively until other responsi- bilities pulled them away from the project. Dan Gallagher’s contributions were particularly substantial. I would also like to thank Jeff Grabelsky of the Cornell School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Mark Erlich of the New England Regional Council of Carpenters, Jesse Bostelle of the Service Employees, Michael Eisenscher of the Project for Labor Renewal, and Bob Bruno of the University of Illinois for their help with the case studies. Parts of the manuscript were read by Bob Bussel, Greg Giebel, Gil Gall, Jack Fiorito, and participants in the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO COPE and CWASummer Schools held at Penn State. The constructive criticism and encouragement they provided helped me to move forward with the project. At various times I received funding to conduct research that is incorporated in this book. I extend my thanks to the Department of Labor Studies and Employ- ment Relations at Penn State, the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, and the George Meany Center for Labor Studies for this financial support. As in previous projects with Cornell ILR Press, I have benefited from Fran Ben- son’s enduring patience and insightful editorial skill. I heartily recommend her and ILR Press to authors looking for a home for their work. Thanks also to Jackie Dowdell, Trudie Calvert, and Ange Romeo-Hall for their help in getting the book out. I also want to thank Darlene, Molly, and Bryan Clark for allowing me to monop- olize the computer and the second floor and for providing a foundation for life and work. If we are lucky, each of us encounters a few individuals who have an enormous influence on the people we become professionally. I have been fortunate to have two such mentors, both named Lois. I wish to acknowledge Lois S. Gray and the late Lois Nowicki for their guidance and their friendship. This book is dedicated to them. While these colleagues and friends have all contributed in various ways to shap- ing this book, any shortcomings are mine alone. Introduction S trong and viable unions play a necessary and important role in Ameri- can society and in its industrial relations system. Building strong unions in today’s economic, political, and social environment, however, is a very difficult task. Much has been written about the “big” issues facing labor—the globalization of the economy; labor laws that do little to protect workers’ rights; a political system in which money, rather than ideas and principles, is the bottom line. Much has also been written about strategies to deal with these issues—the adoption of a new “or- ganizing” model of unionism; the restructuring of individual unions and the AFL-CIO and the emergence of the Change to Win (CTW) federation; a new, more effective, political action program for labor; and the establishment of a truly inter- national labor movement that can cross borders with the same ease as multinational corporations. Somewhat less attention has been given to the one thing each of these strategies is dependent on—an increasingly active, involved, informed, and en- gaged union membership at the local level. While committees, commissions, centers, and task forces at the national union and federation levels wrestle with the best ways to adapt to a global economy, the best strategies to confront global corporations, and the best tactics to fight labor’s political and legislative battles, local unions can, and should, be building a more effective labor movement from the bottom up. This book was written to assist unions and union leaders in building a stronger labor movement by more effectively mobilizing their membership.1To accomplish this task, American unions need to draw on every resource at their disposal. One 1. Most of the discussion in this book refers to union members, but many of the principles and tools ex- amined are also applicable to nonmembers in a bargaining unit or to potential members involved in the organizing process. Also, while the discussion focuses on local, district, and national unions, many of the issues and strategies discussed are equally applicable to local labor councils, state federations, and the na- tional AFL-CIO and CTW federations. ix
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