Control and Satisfaction and Their Relation To Rank-and-File Support for Union Political Action

Abstract

N RECENT years the leadership of the American trade union movement has become increasingly aware of the disenchantment of their members with union involvement in practical politics.? One reason advanced to explain this phenomenon is the present-day affluence of the blue-collar worker who now lives in middle-class neighborhoods and tends to accept the views of middle-class propertyowners. Another suggested reason attributes the disinclination to support the leadership to the younger members. According to this argument, the latter have not undergone the difficulties or made the sacrifices of the older union members and thus feel little obligation or gratitude to their unions for the benefits they daily receive.2 A third possible explanation is the presumed heavier impact that the law of imperfect mobilization of group members3 has upon union organizations, where the membership is compulsory, than upon organizations of voluntary members. Finally, it may be that union members feel that politics is not a proper function of the union.4 Whatever the cause or causes, the fact remains that there is a failure by the union leadership to win the full support of union members in the realm of practical The question for the leadership is, whether it can direct its relatively satisfied5 membership to concern themselves with matters considered to be external to the union, such as involvement in practical politics.