Understanding employee reactions to union-busting in the US hospitality industry: An analysis based on union attitudes and cognitive frames

Abstract

Union-busting, whose purpose is to weaken or eliminate labor unions within an organization, is particularly prevalent in the hospitality industry. This paper, which draws on data collected through semi-structured interviews with 38 US line-level hospitality workers, aims to analyze their reactions to union-busting. In doing so, it introduces an original analysis rooted in union attitudes, cognitive frames, and emotions, employing a lens that integrates framing theory and affective events theory. One of the most important contributions of this research lies in recognizing that employees’ responses to union-busting can deviate from the expected alignment with their union attitudes and cognitive frames. This research broadens their scope to encompass a previously unexplored phenomenon. It deepens our understanding of the complexities characterizing the employment relationship in hospitality, thereby offering insights that could inform contemporary HRM strategies and policy interventions.