Union Strategy, Membership Orientation and Union Effectiveness: An Exploratory Analysis

Abstract

Faced with continued decline in membership, unions and researchers have sought to identify those factors that could contribute to reversing union decline. This article explores this issue, using a unique data set drawn from a survey of union officials. We examine the relationship between various union strategies and the capacity of unions to effectively recruit and retain members. In particular, we examine whether a union's organisational effectiveness is associated with the extent to which a union is more or less ‘membership orientated’. The results do not support the view that traditional union strategies, which revolve around strikes and political action, have become less effective. Nor is it clear that more innovative service-based strategies have been more effective. We argue that the results provide support for the view that a union's strategic choice is contingent on whether these strategies have rank-and-file support. That is, union strategies are more likely to be effective when they are legitimised through internal democratic processes.