Can union commitment be developed : an exploratory analysis

Abstract

This study evaluated a program designed to increase union commitment among rank-and-file members of a public service union. Two-day workshops, held over an 18 month period, involved discussions and presentations of material related to union instrumentality and union socialization. Compared to both a non-intervention control and an archival baseline, longitudinal data obtained from workshop participants showed that the workshop led to significant increases in Union Loyalty and Responsibility to the Union that persisted over time. Changes in Willingness to Work for the Union were less consistent. Similar changes occurred on measures related to union commitment. The data supported the multidimensional nature of the union commitment measure and replicated the construct validity of these three union commitment dimensions (Kelloway, Catano, & Southwell, 1992). These results establish that union commitment can be influenced and provide support for future applied research.