Workers’ relationships to their union: The effects of transfer status and race at a U.S. automobile plant

Abstract

This study addresses the impact that transferring from one plant to another has on workers in terms of their levels of commitment, involvement and satisfaction with their union. Findings indicate that race is a determinate factor. Minorities that did transfer report being less committed workers and less involved with their union than minorities already working at the plant. Also, in terms of union commitment, involvement, and satisfaction although the age of the worker is not a significant factor, females are significantly more involved with their union than males. Accordingly, rank and file workers whom are elected or appointed union officials are more satisfied and involved with their union then those workers not in official union positions. In June of 2007, the survey was developed by the authors, and endorsed and administered by a major industrial union. The total population of the plant under review is 1640 workers.

Acknowledgements

We wish to thank the Social Science Journal reviewers and Professor Jeffrey Rothstein of Grand Valley State University for their helpful comments.

Notes

1 The 150 management personnel were not involved in the study. Of the 1640 workers, 200 were on early retirement, 200 on sick leave and 200 on vacation/day-off/sick leave. Of the 1040 workers who were handed the survey, 20 returned the survey immediately after receiving it. The plant president had mentioned that the 25 percent response rate was not higher because some workers may have felt that there was no need to fill out the survey since they had completed a similar one a few years before. Also, general attitudes about American society and how workers view different local standing committees were not part of this analysis.

2 All the employees at the plant were given the chance to be part of the study. This was done at the union's insistence. Consequently, one limitation to this study is that the findings are based on a convenience sample instead of a random sample. As a result, our conclusions are being made for a population in which this sample can be assumed to be representative.

3 For relocation benefits see Appendix A.

4 This survey indicated that minorities that did transfer have lower commitment scores than any other group, but this may not be true for the entire population.