Labor Union Members Research Articles

Militant Labor Unionism and the Decline of Solidarity: A Case Study of Hyundai Auto Workers in South Korea

Based on a case study of labor unionism at Hyundai Motor Company (HMC), this article explores the changing features of militant labor unionism at leading large firms in South Korea’s export sector. Militant unionism at HMC has been shaped in the overall context of the confrontational nature of industrial relations and the strong workplace bargaining power of labor unions during the transition to democracy. Even after the company has grown into a global automaker and the living standards of workers significantly improved, labor protests and strike actions still prevail. Since the financial crisis of 1997, however, the aim of labor militancy has shifted dramatically from class solidarity among various types of workers to social closure in order to defend the narrow economic interests of the labor union members. This study concludes that “labor militancy without solidarity” comes to represent the characteristics of labor unionism at leading large firms in South Korea in the era of globalization.

Reasons Why Thai Employees Want to Join Labor Unions: Evidence in Private Companies and State Enterprises

This study provides an empirical analysis of reasons why Thai employees want to join labor unions in order todeepen our understanding of unionization-related issues in Thailand. The presidents, leaders and members oflabor unions for nine private companies and two state enterprises participated in this survey. Based on 1841 validresponses from a total population of 44573 persons, our findings demonstrated that there are three main reasonswhy Thai employees want to join labor unions: compensation, safeguard against dismissal, and legalconsultation (in descending order).

労働者のメンタルヘルスと行動特性の影響

To clarify the mental health factors of workers and to verify the causal correlation between their behavioral traits and mental health. We asked 1,425 subjects working at private enterprises and local government offices, as well as members of labor unions, to anonymously respond to questionnaires. We examined the causal influence of workers' behavioral traits on negative mental health by covariance structure analysis. Workers'other-reward oriented self-image variables indicated by behavioral traits, such as self-repression and interpersonal dependency, directly affected negative mental health. Workers'perceived emotional support indirectly affects their mental health through self-image variables and perceived stressors. Additionally, simultaneous multi-population analysis verified that different populations did not show differences, and maintained the same structure. Other-reward oriented self-image directly affected negative mental health, and its impact was the largest. Therefore, to prevent negative mental health, the results indicate that it is important to shift self-image to a self-reward oriented one. Additionally, the results indicate the need for effort to perceive emotional support at the workplace and heighten the ability of self-expression and feelings of self-esteem. This can encourage changing to a self-reward oriented self-image and a preventive effect is expected.

What Types of Factors Can Influence the Strength of Labor Unions in Companies and State Enterprises in Thailand?

This research provides an empirical analysis of the factors influencing the strength of labor unions in Thailand inorder to provide long-term implications for labor unions and labor-management relations in Thailand and othercountries. The union’s presidents, board committees, and members of labor unions in nine private companies andtwo state enterprises were participated in this survey. Based on 1761 valid responses from a total population of44573 persons, our findings demonstrated that 13 factors tend to affect the strength of labor unions in companiesand state enterprises in Thailand. Represented in descending order of???? influence, the macro-level (ornational-level) factors include labor union association; mass media; cultural factors; labor relations law;economic, political, and population changes; and the role of government. The micro-level (or firm-level) factorsin descending order of importance success in collective bargaining; labor union policies; union member unity;employer policies; financial status of labor union; union president and board committees; and the relationshipbetween labor union and employer.

Tournaments with Prize-Setting Agents

In many tournaments it is the contestants themselves who determine reward allocation. Labor-union members bargain over wage distribution, and many firms allow self-managed teams to freely determine internal resource allocation, incentive structure, and division of labor. We analyze, and test experimentally, a rank-order tournament where heterogeneous agents determine the spread between winner prize and looser prize. We investigate the relationship between prize spread, uncertainty (i.e. noise between effort and performance), heterogeneity and effort. The paper challenges well-known results from tournament theory. We find that a large prize spread is associated with low degree of uncertainty and high degree of heterogeneity, and that heterogeneity triggers effort. By large, our real-effort experiment supports the theoretical predictions.

Disparate Impact under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967

Should the Supreme Court approve disparate impact under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967? The issue is presently before the Court on writ of certiorari, and this article primarily contains new arguments and evidence, both pro and con, on the issue. 1. Justice Powell's Theorem. PRO: Justice Powell theorized in Connecticut v. Teal that disparate treatment and disparate impact are not separate claims, but rather methods of proving the single claim of discrimination. He offered no proof for this theorem, but analysis reveals that he was right. By examining disparate treatment and disparate impact in light of the elements of claim of discrimination, we find these methods of proof differ only in the ways they prove causation. Both prove that a protected characteristic was a cause of the employer's denial of an employment opportunity to the plaintiff; disparate treatment proves causation with evidence of intent, and disparate impact proves causation with evidence of effect. Justice Powell's theorem is no longer true of Title VII because the 1991 amendments allow for compensatory and punitive damages in cases of intentional discrimination; therefore, intent is now a material element of one of the claims under Title VII. But Justice Powell's theorem remains true of the Age Act, which was not amended in any relevant way. CON: Disparate treatment and disparate impact have always been separate claims, distinguished by whether the defendant's intent is a material fact. 2. Text of the Age Act. PRO: If Congress used the words because of age in their ordinary meaning, they comprehend two ideas of causation. One idea of causation is that a person's reason for action is a cause of the person's act; this idea corresponds to disparate treatment. The other idea of causation is that a proximate fact in the chain of facts that culminates in a reason for action is also a cause of the act; this idea corresponds to disparate impact. CON: The legislative history of the Age Act makes clear that Congress was unaware of disparate impact in 1967; the Supreme Court's error in Griggs v. Duke Power Co. should not be repeated. No representative or senator spoke of disparate impact. The report to Congress on age discrimination by the Secretary of Labor contemplated only intentional discrimination. The origin of section 4(a)(2) shows it was directed at the disparate treatment of labor union members by their unions, not at disparate impact. 3. Reasonable Factors Other Than Age. PRO: The legislative history of the defense in the RFOA clause shows it was meant to protect only job-related practices. The origin of the clause in an unsuccessful equal pay bill confirms this conclusion. CON: The legislative history of the RFOA clause shows that Congress did not understand disparate impact. The true origin of the clause is a line of bills, dating from 1958, aimed at age discrimination; none of these bills contemplated disparate impact. The article concludes with arguments and evidence, based on the purposes of the Age Act, in favor of recognizing disparate impact.

Lymphohematopoietic Cancers in the United Farm Workers of America (UFW), 1988–2001

Agricultural risk factors for lymphohematopoietic cancers (LHC) in Hispanic farm workers in California were examined in a nested case-control study embedded in a cohort of 139,000 ever members of a farm worker labor union in California. Crop and pesticide exposures were estimated by linking county/month and crop specific job history information from union records with California Department of Pesticide Regulation pesticide use reports during the 20-year period prior to cancer diagnosis. A total of 131 LHC diagnosed in California between 1988 and 2001 were included in the analysis. Analyses were conducted by gender and subtype of non-Hodgkins lymphoma (nodal, extra nodal) and by leukemia histology (lymphocytic, granulocytic). Odds ratios were calculated by stratification and by unconditional logistic regression. Risk for all LHC was elevated in workers cultivating vegetables (OR = 1.67, 95% CI = 1.12-2.48). Risk of leukemia was associated with exposure to the pesticides mancozeb (OR = 2.35, 95% CI = 1.12-4.95) and toxaphene (OR = 2.20, 95% CI = 1.04-4.65) while NHL risk was increased in association with 2,4-D (OR = 3.80, 95% CI=1.85-7.81). Risk of leukemia was particularly elevated among female workers and for granulocytic versus lymphocytic leukemia for several chemicals. No associations were noted for multiple myeloma. California farm workers employed where mancozeb and toxaphene were used had an increased risk of leukemia compared to farm workers employed elsewhere. Employment in farms using 2,4-D was associated with an increased risk of NHL.

Breast Cancer Risk in Hispanic Agricultural Workers in California

In a registry-based case-control study of breast cancer in farm labor union members in California, 128 breast cancer (BC) cases newly diagnosed in 1988--2001 and 640 cancer-free controls were investigated. Stage and grade of disease at diagnosis were about the same as in the California Hispanic population. Risk of breast cancer was not associated with work with any specific crops or commodities except mushrooms, where the adjusted odds ratio (OR) was 6.00 (95% CI 2.01-18.0). Controlling for covariates, adjusted ORs (and 95% CIs) for breast cancer in quartiles of pesticide use were 1.00, 1.30 (0.73-2.30), 1.23 (0.67-2.27), and 1.41 (0.66-3.02). Chlordane, malathion, and 2,4-D were associated with increased risk. Risk associated with chemical use was stronger in younger women, those with early-onset breast cancer, and those diagnosed earlier (1988--1994).

Competing Interest Groups and Union Members' Voting

Objective. This study is designed to assess the impact of support for union and social interest groups on labor union members' voting. Methods. Descriptive and logit analyses of members' support for senatorial and gubernatorial candidates in the 1994 Pennsylvania elections examine the relationship between support for the union and support for the Christian Coalition and National Rifle Association. Results. The results indicate that union members who are more supportive of labor's political goals are more likely to support union‐endorsed candidates. But union members differ considerably in their support for union political goals vis‐a‐vis the Christian Coalition and National Rifle Association. Conclusions. Unions were a potentially pivotal force in the 1994 Pennsylvania elections. If they had been better able to educate their members about the importance of voting their economic self‐interest, then the election outcomes might have been reversed.

Rights and Morals, Issues, and Candidate Integrity: Insights into the Role of the News Media

In recent American political discourse, elections and debates tend to be presented by the news media as collisions of basic principles, with opposing parties advancing beliefs about what is right and what is wrong. When news coverage of an election campaign focuses on issues that emphasize rights and morals, voting behavior may be affected in two ways: Citizens become likely to form and make use of evaluations of the integrity of the candidates, and citizens become motivated to seek an issue‐position “match” with candidates on those issues for which discourse is ethically charged (particularly when they hold a similar interpretation of the issue). These ideas were tested in an experiment in which labor union members and undergraduate students were presented with news stories about the contrasting positions of fictional candidates for elective office. Across three political environments, all information was held constant except for systematic alteration of a different issue in each environment. These three issues (abortion, gun control, and health care) vary in the types of value conflicts emphasized in news coverage. The results shed light on how individuals process, interpret, and use issue coverage in choosing among candidates.

Labor and the Cold War: A Fifty-Year Perspective

Roughly fifty years after the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) purged communist-led unions from its membership, the Southwest Labor Studies Association met in San Francisco from April 29 to May 1, 1999, to reconsider the history and implications of this event and, more broadly, to attempt to untangle the connections between and among McCarthyism, anticommunist liberalism, and the political trajectory of organized labor during the postwar era. Bringing together labor activists, union members, and academics, panels considered these themes from a number of perspectives and methodological approaches. Papers focused on such topics as the dynamics of political repression, the effectiveness of liberal anticommunist politics for organized labor, and the role of the state in shaping the labor movement.

Presidential rhetoric and interest group politics: Lyndon B. Johnson and the civil rights act of 1964

In 1963 and 1964, Lyndon Baines Johnson employed his legislative and rhetorical skills to ensure the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964—a law that many pundits believed unpassable. A significant part of Johnson's strategy involved communication with members of labor unions, religious organizations, and civil rights organizations. These interest groups applied pressure to members of Congress in a way that the president could not, and Johnson's public and private rhetoric addressed to these organizations contributed to his legislative success.

Stress experienced by active members of trade unions

AbstractThe literature presents role conflict, role ambiguity and role overload as psychological stressors which arise when a person plays conflicting roles, receives conflicting signals of what the environment expects of him, or both. Complexity increases when a role or a plurality of roles involves more activities and when a person functions in more than a single system (environment) and hence is faced with a variety of role senders. Research into this kind of stress has not covered active labor union members, even though their position would seem to make them likely stress candidates. In this article we demonstrate that active union members do indeed face role problems. We also report findings that are generally supportive of the expected positive association between active union members' experience of the central component of burnout (viz. emotional exhaustion) and each of the examined role problems individually and in combination (i.e. an index of overall role stress). Further, the results of a multiple regression analysis showed that emotional exhaustion was most strongly associated with intra‐sender conflict and qualitative role overload.

Alabama Labor Union Members In The 1984 Presidential Election

Southeastern Political ReviewVolume 14, Issue 2 p. 139-158 Alabama Labor Union Members In The 1984 Presidential Election Judith L. Catlett, Judith L. CatlettSearch for more papers by this authorRalph Arthur Johnson, Ralph Arthur JohnsonSearch for more papers by this author Judith L. Catlett, Judith L. CatlettSearch for more papers by this authorRalph Arthur Johnson, Ralph Arthur JohnsonSearch for more papers by this author First published: September 1986 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-1346.1986.tb00041.xAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Volume14, Issue2September 1986Pages 139-158 RelatedInformation

Attitude and personality correlates of hallucinogenic drug use.

Personality, attitude, and hallucinogenic drug use data were obtained from 298 male and female adult members of labor unions. Multiple regression and canonical correlation analyses of drug use, personality, and attitude data revealed that: the use of hallucinogens was significantly related to needs for novel or unconventional experiences and negative attitudes toward conventionally defined social values, and marijuana use scores were more strongly associated with the set of predictor variables than were other drugs reported.

Personality and attitude correlates of psychosedative drug use

Personality, attitude and psychosedative drug use data were obtained from 298 adult male and female members of labor unions. Instruments for assessing personality and attitude were the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI), Zuckerman Sensation Seeking Scales (ZSS), Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (C-MSDS), the Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale (TMAS), and the Self-System Perception Questionnaire (SSPQ). Drug use information was obtained by administering the Wisconsin Substance Use Inventory (WSUI). Multiple regression and canonical correlation analyses were consistent in identifying a sub-set of the predictor battery associated with use of psychosedatives. Psychosedative use was found to be significantly predictable by the level of anxiety, a tendency toward rejection of puritanical attitudes, and a desire for non-traditional forms of self-expression and social experiences.

Stereotypes as a Measure of Success

Chinese and Japanese stereotypes have undergone dramatic changes. Early stereotypes were uniformly negative, reflecting the social, economic, and political climate in America. Labor union members and gold miners were particularly vehement in their denunciation of Asian Americans because of the perceived threat of job competition. With the passage of numerous discriminatory laws and the entrance of other ethnic minorities, the Chinese and Japanese were considered less dangerous and the favorability of stereotypes increased. World War II revived negative stereotypes against the Japanese. Currently, these Asian American groups are viewed as highly successful, model minorities. To what extent are these positive stereotypes and views accurate? Methodological and conceptual problems in the study of stereotypes have hindered a clear analysis of this question. It is suggested that some stereotypes have kernels of truth. The potential negative consequences of favorable stereotypes are also discussed.

National Elite Surveys: Some Experience From Norway

Various problems involved in gaining access to national elites, conducting structur ed interviews with them, and gathering interview data on elite ideology and social structure are discussed in light of the growing use of survey techniques in research on national elites. The discussion is based on the authors' experience conducting survey interviews with 124 members of Norwegian business, labor union, political, and civil servant elites during 1969. This experience is quantified and otherwise reported to show ways by which various methodological obstacles in national elite surveys can be reduced. While such surveys are seen to be quite feasible and useful, several problems are of sufficient magnitude to warrant considerable caution and modesty in the claims made for data collected thereby.

Attitudes toward Law Enforcement in Greece and the United States

Attitudes toward law, legal institutions, and law enforcement authorities may indicate a level of criminality. Such attitudes are the internalized residues of critical experiences fed back into the arena of behavior. A pioneer study found that attitudes toward law varied in expected directions with criminal and noncriminal samples in the United States and that a very definite and discernible gradient existed when the attitude inventories of maximum-security prisoners, probationers, labor-union members, and Mormons were compared. Does a similar gradient exist among criterion groups in other countries, based on their as sessed attitudes toward law, law enforcement, and legal institu tions ? After the American research schedule was pretested in Greece, it was administered to a sample of two hundred prison ers, two hundred laborers, and two hundred police officers (known to be the most law-abiding of Greek groups). A gradient was also discernible among the three Greek samples in the expected direction: the prisoners were the most unfavorable in attitude, the laborers favorable, and the police most favorable. The Greek police sample had scores similar to those of the Mormons in the United States. A criminality level index or measure, if it can be refined, would make a very important diagnostic and predictive tool in the field of crime control.

The Servant Class in a Developing Country: Ecuador

Emphasis today is on the political and economic factors in social change in undeveloped countries. This approach, combined with the wholehearted acceptance of the role of the middle class as a psychological leavening agent in such countries, tends to obscure the presence of other factors. Especially are there other categories of human beings who are responding to the forces put into play by world changes and by the increasing pressures exerted upon the social systems of which they are a part. Recently, some of these groups have been given more notice, such as students, intellectuals, labor union members, etc. Another such important category is the servant class which for the most part has been ignored and yet which appears significant, even though not as a political group, in terms of both the effects it has on changes being attempted in social organizations and on the personality development of nationals in such countries.