Public Perceptions of Trade Unions in Countries of the European Union

Abstract

Given the ideological, political, and economic structural changes in the latter part of the twentieth century it might be expected that the demand for trade unions has significantly declined. Using a European-wide survey, this article addressed the extent to which European citizens perceive a need for trade unions. Our results indicate that contrary to expectations, a substantial majority of respondents perceived a need for strong trade unions to protect their pay and working conditions. Attitudinal formation appears to be more influenced by individual characteristics than either structural or institutional regimes, at least in a European context. Conversely the institutional measures of union presence and country of origin substantially account for the factors that determine why employees with favorable perceptions of trade unions become a union member. Among employees the extent to which positive attitudes converts into actual union membership appears to be critically dependent on a union-friendly institutional regime.