College Students’ Attitudes Toward Labor Unions: Implications for Union Leaders and Employers

Abstract

This study replicates and extends the research on pre-employment predictors of attitudes toward labor unions, which subsequently influence willingness to join a union. The impact of a number of factors including family socialization, parental union attitude, work beliefs (Marxist and humanistic), and college major (field of study) is assessed on college students’ attitudes toward labor unions. Selected demographic and attitudinal data were collected from a sample of 402 students representing several majors at a midsized Midwestern public university. The findings of the study strongly support the belief that family socialization and personal work beliefs are the most important predictors of college students’ attitudes toward labor unions. Unlike prior studies, the impact of race on college students’ attitudes toward labor unions was also assessed. Implications of these findings for union leaders and employers and future research directions are also discussed.