Membership participation in union activities : a multivariate analysis

Abstract

The research reported on here is an exploratory identification of the correlates of participation in union activities by union members. Previous research in this area has relied on unitary constructs of participation which failed to take into consideration the differential requirements of various forms of participatory behaviour. Two general hypotheses were examined. It was predicted that each of seven criteria (participatory) behaviours would be predicted by a different set of predictor variables. Furthermore, predictor-criterion relationships were expected to differ between male and female union members. A questionnaire was distributed to approximately 900 union members belonging to four different unions. 272 (approximately 30%) of the questionnaires were returned and were employed in the analysis. Predictor-criterion relationships were examined by first cumulating simple correlations across the four unions using the meta-analytic procedures suggested by Hunter et al (1982) to provide an estimate of the population correlations. Multiple regression models were next developed for each criterion in order to identify the most parsimonious combination of variables which predicted each criterion. In general, the data partially supported the first hypothesis. Each of the criteria were found to be related to attitudinal variables with the role of demographic and union role characteristic variables varying across criteria. Different patterns of prediction emerged for male and female respondents. In particular, participation among male respondents was predicted almost exclusively by attitudinal variables whereas for female respondents role characteristic and demographic variables also predicted participation in union activities. A model of union participation is proposed based on these findings.