Union Commitment Research Articles

First Union Formation in Italy: The Role of Micro- and Macro-Level Economic Conditions

In this paper, we use data from the ‘Families and Social Subjects’ survey conducted by the Italian National Institute of Statistics in 2016 to study the impact of micro- and macro-level economic conditions on first co-residential union formation. We aim to determine if and to what extent the probability of forming the first union is explained by individual labour market positions (e.g. having non-standard employment or not having work), and additionally explore if adverse macroeconomic conditions also play a role. We differentiate by union type—marriage and cohabitation—known to be characterised by different levels of union commitment. We also address potential gender differences by conducting separate analyses on men and women. Our results suggest that while micro- and macro-level economic factors matter in the union formation process, their effect varies by gender and union type. Individual economic vulnerability has a greater impact on marriage than on cohabitation for both men and women. Instead, contextual economic uncertainty plays a relevant role, especially in the transition to cohabitation, regardless of gender, and, to a lesser extent, in the transition to marriage, but only for women.

THE MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION'S (EU) SPECIAL STRATEGY FOR CENTRAL ASIA (2007–2013)

The article examines the European Union's approach to Central Asia from 2007 to 2013, highlighting key objectives and initiatives designed to strengthen cooperation between the EU and nations in the region. This strategy encompasses a diverse range of issues, including economic growth, governance, energy security, educational development, and regional collaboration. The overarching goals of the strategy include: Economic Development: The strategy emphasizes the importance of economic partnerships, trade, and investment in promoting growth and integration of the region into the global economy. Governance and Anti-Corruption: The European Union supports governance and anti-corruption reforms that are essential for sustainable development. Energy Security: Given the significant energy resources in Central Asia, measures have been taken to diversify energy sources and increase the EU's energy independence. Education: Educational programs and initiatives aim to improve skills of the population and develop human capital in the region. Regional Cooperation: The EU actively promotes regional cooperation among Central Asian countries to contribute to peace and stability in the region. The article emphasizes the flexibility and adaptability of the EU's approach to the challenges and changing circumstances in the region. This demonstrates the European Union's commitment to playing a proactive role in promoting positive development in Central Asia and creating the conditions for long-term collaboration and shared prosperity.

The Impact of Union Transformational Leadership on Union Citizenship Behavior in the Vietnamese Union Context: A Moderated Mediation Model of Union Commitment and Union Practice

After implementing the Renovation policy in 1986, the transition to a market-oriented economy brought significant changes to the institutional environment in which trade unions operate. The decline in union membership prompted both union leaders and political authorities to recognize the potential difficulties in maintaining stability and the necessary cohesion for sustainable economic development. The absence of an effective trade union system became apparent, leading to the realization that understanding the role of trade unions in the context of economic transition is indeed essential. The present study aims to explore the relationship between union transformational leadership, union citizenship behavior, union practices and union commitment in a union context Vietnam. At the same time, build a model of the influence of union transformational leadership on union citizenship behavior, which commits unions to play an intermediary role and Vietnamese union practices plays a moderating role.  Data were collected on a sample of 595 union members from 15 foreign enterprises as a research sample. Research results show that transformational leadership style has a strong positive influence on behavior union citizenship through promoting union commitment and trade union practices. The research has important academic contributions and administrative implications for Vietnamese trade union leaders.

Social economy enterprises contributing to the circular economy and the green transition in Romania

Recently, there is a new European Union commitment to the potential of the social economy which is a pioneer in job creation linked to the circular economy that will be further leveraged by the mutual benefits of supporting the green transition and strengthening social inclusion. Considering this general context, we propose in this paper an exploratory research aiming to investigate the potential of the Romanian social economy sector as part of a circular economy approach that could advance the green transition in the following years. Our paper is based on the findings of preliminary systematic content analysis for the identification of the social enterprises in Romania which include circular economy and/or green economy in their business model, and on qualitative research based on semi-structured in-depth interviews with the social economy organizations’ managers. We have highlighted five good practice examples (Recicleta, Atelierul de Pânz?, Educlick/Reconect, Remesh, and Bio&co Farm), which clearly show that combining the principles of social economy with the ones of circular/green economy is a strategy that might lead to overcoming the current challenges of the society. Our investigations represent the first approach to this topic, aiming to understand the specific challenges of the circular or green economy and social economy models when joining forces together for sustainable development in the context of an emerging social economy, as is the case of Romania.

Community composting strategies for biowaste treatment: methodology, bulking agent and compost quality

The European Union’s commitment to increase recycling and recovery rates of municipal solid waste requires significant changes in current waste management. Local governments are developing various strategies for treating the organic fraction of municipal waste (biowaste) via composting. Community composting centres (CCC), green waste collection, treatment points and community gardens are some of these new approaches. Population density and spatial distribution, together with the existence of community green areas, determine the location of the various infrastructures for recycling local biowaste. The composting process consumes high amounts of bulking agent (BA) necessary to provide the structure that allows, amongst other uses, biowaste aeration and microbial surface colonisation. Shredded green waste from parks, gardens and households can be used as BA in community composting and home composting. In this study, a total of 46 compost samples obtained from CCC with two types of handling were analysed: 22 samples treated by vertical flow (VF) and 24 samples treated by horizontal flow (HF). The HF model allowed better use of the volume of modular composting units and the VF model required less effort and time for the CCC operator. Mature, stable and high-nutrient-content composts were obtained with both models. These composts met the legal requirements to be used as an organic amendment, and they can be delivered to the participants or used in community gardens in the municipality.

Dampak Implementasi Kebijakan Renewable Energy Directive II terhadap Hubungan Indonesia - Uni Eropa

This research will write down the impact of implementing the Renewable Energy Directive II policy issued by the European Union to regulate the use of renewable energy as a form of the European Union's commitment to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In the Renewable Energy Directive II Policy issued by the European Union, it is stated that palm oil causes deforestation or environmental damage. Indonesia, which has long established economic cooperation with the European Union, especially in the export-import of palm oil, as the world's largest producer of palm oil, feels discriminated against the policy issued. Indonesia gets the country's largest foreign exchange from exports of palm oil and its derivatives which will then have a major impact on the decline in imports of palm oil by the European Union after the issuance of this policy. This research question is "What is the impact of the implementation of the Renewable Energy Directive II policy on relations between Indonesia and the European Union?" to answer the questions in this study, researchers used the concept of International Political Economy by Robert Gilpin in explaining the results of this study. This study uses qualitative research methods using secondary data sources. The results of this study will answer the forms of tense relations between Indonesia and the European Union and what factors influence these tensions to occur. This research will also explain the beginning of the cooperation between Indonesia and the European Union and how the relationship was before and after the Renewable Energy Directive II policy was made.
 

A Republic in the Ranks: Loyalty and Dissent in the Army of the Potomac

A Republic in the Ranks: Loyalty and Dissent in the Army of the Potomac

Evropska unija i zdravstvena bezbednost u kontekstu pandemije KOVID-19

The paper considers health security in the European Union, before and during the COVID19 pandemic, through the analysis of the EU strategic-normative, political and institutional framework in this area. The aim was to determine whether the changes in the field of public health at the EU level, induced by the COVID19 pandemic, contributed to defining a clear approach of the Union to health security and to strengthening its global role in this field. Although the concept of health security is still subject to different and broad interpretations, its practical importance comes to the fore primarily in periods of health crises. Thus, at the EU level, pandemics and epidemics of infectious diseases, as well as threats from bioterrorism, have stimulated more intensive reflections on health security in a theoretical, political and practical sense. Therefore, in this paper health security is analyzed with a focus on infectious diseases as one of the serious and emerging health threats. Methodologically, the paper is based on content analysis, first of all academic literature on health security, the most important strategic documents, health policies and mechanisms of the EU. The analysis showed that the health security field at the EU level has not yet been developed to such an extent that we could talk about a coherent approach to health security, that reflects a collective (European) vision. Namely, that approach varies from the humanocentric paradigm, which is embodied in the Union's commitment to human rights, human development and the general health needs of "ordinary" people, to the traditional, state-centric one, which came to the fore through the unilateral actions of the members during the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, awareness of the need for a broader, common approach to serious health threats, became clearer after dealing with the consequences of this isolationist policies of the member states. Therefore, we still couldn't talk about global EU actorness in this area, despite the Union's expressed desire for a leadership role, especially stimulated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Namely, the COVID-19 crisis simultaneously shed light on numerous vulnerabilities and shortcomings of the EU health security regime and opened the way for reforms and improvements in this area. Taking into account that the COVID-19 crisis caused both geopolitical consequences and a crisis in international relations, this is an additional reason for strengthening the position of the EU in global health governance. Therefore, at this moment, the changes in the EU, prompted by COVID-19 can be seen as just one more step on the way to strengthening the future position of the EU in global health security.

Eliciting knowledge from stakeholders to identify critical issues of the transition to climate neutrality in Greece, the Nordic Region, and the European Union

There are considerable differences in the pace and underlying motivations of the energy transition in the different geographical contexts across Europe. The European Union's commitment to climate neutrality by 2050 requires a better understanding of the energy transition in different contexts and scales to improve cooperation of involved actors. In this article, we identify critical issues and challenges of the European energy transition as perceived by stakeholders and investigate how these perceptions vary across geographical contexts. To do so, we couple a policy document analysis with research based on stakeholder engagement activities in three different scales, national (Greece), regional (Nordic Region) and continental scale (European Union). Our findings show that stakeholder perspectives on the energy transition depend on contextual factors underlying the need for policies sensitive to the different transition issues and challenges in European regions. They also reveal cross-cutting issues and challenges among the three case studies, which could lead to further improvement of the cross-country collaboration to foster the European energy transition.

사회복지시설 종사자의 노동조합 참여 및 노조몰입이 복지태도에 미치는 영향

The purpose of this study is to explore how participation in social welfare institutions in the labor union affects the welfare attitudes. Also, the effect of union commitment of union members among workers on the welfare attitude was analyzed. A self-written survey was conducted on 165 union members and 185 non-union members at social welfare institutions located in the metropolitan area. Technical statistics were analyzed, and differences in welfare attitudes between each group were investigated. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted to analyze the effect of union membership and union commitment of workers in social welfare institutions on welfare attitudes. As a result of the analysis, it was found that workers' participation in the union and union commitment had a significant effect on welfare attitudes. This study is significant in that it added empirical study to the welfare attitude study of social workers, which has been lacking in quantity. It is also meaningful to study the relationship between union membership and welfare attitudes, union commitment and welfare attitudes, which has not been attempted in Korea.

Cross-level effects of union practices on extra-role behaviors: the mediating role of industrial relations climate, union commitment and union instrumentality

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between union practices and two types of employees’ extra-role behaviors, namely, union citizenship behavior (UCB) and employee voice (EV), and the mechanisms that mediate this relationship.Design/methodology/approachUsing matched data from 46 union leaders and 279 union members of 33 workplaces in China, this study utilized multilevel structural equation modeling to test the cross-level influences of union practices on employees’ extra-role behaviors and the mediation effects.FindingsThe results show that (1) union practices have a positive impact on employees’ UCB and EV, and (2) union practices increase UCB and EV through the improvement of industrial relations (IR) climate at the workplace level, as well as union commitment (UC) and union instrumentality (UI) at the individual level.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough the authors collected data from multi-sources (i.e. union leaders and members), the cross-sectional data of this study limited the ability to make casual inferences.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature by providing theoretical explanation and empirical evidence to illustrate the role of union practices in increasing the extra-role behaviors of employees (i.e. UCB and EV). This is of particular importance in elaborating the effectiveness of enterprise unions under the recent reforms in China. In addition, the authors also unpacked the antecedents of extra-role behaviors in the union context by investigating how IR climate, UC and UI mediate the relationship between union practices and extra-role behaviors of employees.

European values and effective business interaction

This paper intends to understand the organisational values in different countries across Europe, using the Hofstede 6-D model, and apply them to realise the best strategies for effective interactions between Ukrainians and the rest of Europe, regarding the European Union commitment to accept Ukraine as a member in the future. This research compares the national values and determines clusters of countries, which have similar values regarding organisational action and structure, and searches for any correlation between clusters’ values and the countries’ positions in the rank of European Chamber for businesses. Regarding the results, the paper establishes which countries are culturally more similar to Ukraine, and also which values are predominant in the most successful countries. Finally, the paper points to a trending set of ideas and organisational values that Ukrainian businesses and organisations must pay attention to within the cultural framework of their future European Union partners.

Psychological Contract Breach and Union Commitment Revisited: Evidence from Chinese Employees

From the social exchange theory, this study examines the relationship between psychological contract breach, organizational cynicism, and union commitment, as well as the interaction effect of perceived union dual identity on the relationship between organizational cynicism and union commitment. We argue that contract breach has a positive impact on union commitment, and this relationship is mediated by organizational cynicism. Moreover, we suggest that the perceived union dual identity moderates the relationship between the two. To examine this, we sampled 371 employees of Chinese non-state-owned firms in 2019. The results show that, in the Chinese context, the psychological contract breach has a positive impact on organizational cynicism and union commitment. This relationship is weaker when the perceived union identity (state-oriented) is higher; it is stronger when the perceived union identity (labor-oriented) is higher.

Onshore wind farms GIS-Assisted suitability analysis using PROMETHEE II

The increased use of renewable energy will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and comply with the European Union's commitment under the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Wind energy generation contributes to the attainment of the Union's objectives because it is a mature and cost-effective national investment. Moreover, wind energy is part of the transition towards a circular economy primarily by producing clean renewable energy with a low environmental impact. The appropriate selection of both materials and sites is critical to ensure efficiency and low local impact. The selection of a wind farm installation site is a spatially complex decision-making problem that aims to evaluate alternative locations using planning and environmental restrictions. This paper introduces a new decision-making framework that combines geographic information systems (GIS) technology and PROMETHEE II, a multi-attribute decision making (MADM) method, to enable the GIS-assisted wind farm suitability analysis. The proposed framework can be used as a strategic planning tool that can help energy planners, wind developers, and decision and policy makers at the national and regional levels to accurately determine and predict the most efficient locations for wind farm development. The framework is illustrated through a case study of the Thrace region of north-eastern Greece.

Do-it-yourself approach applied to the valorisation of a wheat milling industry's by-product for producing bio-based material

Cereal processing and flour production play a key role in the Italian agrifood scenario generating valuable economic incomes and contributing significantly to the export market. The European Union's commitment to the transition towards the Circular Economic model has led to increasing attention to food by-products and waste valorisation practices in order to reduce the amount of food loss and waste and costs for disposal. Processing outputs produce secondary raw materials which often remain unexplored for alternative applications and other supply chains. This article focuses on the use organic residues obtained by cereal processing conducted by a small-size milling industry to produce bio-based materials. The research is structured in two stages: (1) the first investigates the production of organic waste through material flow analysis and characterisation of wheat dust, which is considered as waste, through nutritional and toxicological analyses; (2) the second explores the opportunity of using wheat dust as reinforcing filler for a starch-based bio-composite and as culture medium for a microbial cellulose. This second stage adopts the do-it-yourself (DIY) approach for upcycling of food waste and manipulation of bio-based materials. The wheat dust/starch bio-composite was processed to obtain surrogates of disposable plates, while the microbial cellulose was manipulated to achieve a film for food packaging. Strengths and criticalities of both applications are discussed, considering limitations implied by the DIY approach, and further implementations are defined. This article focuses on a case study located in Cuneo province (Piedmont Region, Italy), but it also considers the opportunity to upscale the study to larger milling industries due to the relevance of wheat grains processing in the Italian agrifood market.

Understanding Union Commitment Among Young Workers: A Cross-Theoretical Perspective

This study aims to shed light on the main determinants of and barriers to union commitment among young workers and, more generally, the relationship young workers have with union life. So far, the relationship between young workers and unionism has been examined mainly in terms of the challenges of access to unionization that confront young workers, a group generally underrepresented in union membership. The more specific issue of union commitment among young workers, once they become unionized, has remained largely underexplored in the literature. Using quantitative and qualitative data from an empirical survey of young unionized workers in the Quebec public service, our study identifies and compares the main factors that explain union commitment among young unionized workers and the theoretical underpinnings. It also seeks to shed light on the barriers to this commitment and identifies the organizational measures that could facilitate union commitment among young workers, based on the perceptions expressed by young union members. Our findings indicate that unions should adopt multidimensional organizational measures to foster union commitment among young workers, with a first step being to increase personalized contact between local union representatives and young members. Such investments at the local level are critical, as shown by our quantitative and qualitative findings. Thus, any reform or measure aimed at encouraging union involvement of young workers should not be limited merely to structural aspects but should also take into account the attitudinal and relational underpinnings of young workers’ commitment to their union. By shifting the focus from youth unionization to young members’ involvement in union bodies, our study will contribute to debate about union representation and the generational renewal of the labour movement’s activist base.

Modelamiento del compromiso laboral ante la COVID-19 en un hospital público del centro de México

Objetivos: modelar los indicadores del compromiso laboral considerando la exposición al contagio debido a la transmisión comunitaria de la pandemia en una institución de salud pública.
 Métodos: se estudiaron las dimensiones psicométricas en una observación transversal con una muestra de 100 practicantes profesionales y servidores sociales en una institución de salud asignada a la atención de la pandemia. Se utilizó la Escala de Compromiso Laboral de Carreón (2021) la cual mide siete dimensiones: social, sectorial, académico, formativo, familiar, profesional y personal.
 Resultados: se confirmó una estructura factorial de siete componentes principales que explicaron el 53% de la varianza total, aunque no fue incluido el compromiso gremial como un factor que explica la disposición favorable al conservar el prestigio de la carrera que se estudió.
 Conclusiones: se recomienda el contraste del modelo con la inclusión el compromiso gremial a fin de poder incrementar la varianza total explicada y anticipar un escenario de respuesta ante otra crisis sanitaria como un rebrote del COVID-19.

INFLUENCE OF QUALITY OF WORK LIFE, PERCEIVED UNION EFFECTIVENESS AND JOB SECURITY ON UNION COMMITMENT AMONG BANK EMPLOYEES

This study investigates the relationship between quality of work-life, perceived union effectiveness and job security with union commitment among bank employees in Malaysia. This study is motivated by the decline of union density worldwide in recent times. Indeed, the National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE) has experienced a huge decline of membership, which may weaken and challenge the union to perform efficiently. Hence, this study examined the influence of quality of work-life, perceived union effectiveness and job security on union commitment. Survey questionnaires were distributed using simple random sampling to all five branches of the NUBE in Malaysia. The primary data were collected from 350 respondents and analyzed using correlation and multiple regression analysis. The findings of the study indicated that quality of work-life and perceived union effectiveness have positive and significant influences on union commitment. On the other hand, job security showed no significant influence on union commitment. Thus, representatives or the leaders in NUBE should focus more on the job insecurity of member in banking sector and should encourage the younger generation to participate in the union activities. Membership declining dilemma can be resolved by giving priorities to important issue such as job security among banking employees.

A relação conflituosa entre a Meta 20 do Plano Nacional de Educação (2014-2024) e a Emenda Constitucional 95/2016

O artigo anuncia a incompatibilidade entre a Emenda Constitucional (EC) 95/2016 e a Meta 20 do Plano Nacional de Educacao (PNE), evidenciando a disputa pelo fundo publico. Analisou-se a essencia historica que contribuiu com a garantia legal de recursos educacionais relacionados ao PIB, alem do contexto de aprovacao da Lei do PNE 2014-2024 e da EC 95, de modo a estabelecer relacao com o financiamento da educacao publica e possibilitar o exame do compromisso ou descompromisso da Uniao com o aumento de recursos, evidenciando os dados dos investimentos da Uniao com Manutencao e Desenvolvimento do Ensino e dos Relatorios de Monitoramento das Metas do PNE publicados pelo Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais Anisio Teixeira. Os resultados demonstram que o Plano Nacional de Educacao garante investimentos publicos em educacao publica, assim como tambem permite que o Estado invista, inclusive, em instituicoes privadas. Por fim, constata-se a inviabilizacao da Meta 20, ao se implementar a EC 95/2016.

Effects of union commitment on job performance in China

PurposeThis study aims to reveal the mechanism through which union commitment influences job performance in China, focusing on the mediating role of employee participation and the moderating role of affective commitment.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, a cross-sectional design was employed to collect data from 596 union members in 33 unionized enterprises in China's Pearl River Delta region.FindingsThe results demonstrate that union commitment is positively related to both employee participation and job performance. Moreover, employee participation mediates the positive relationship between union commitment and job performance. In addition, affective commitment strengthens the relationship between union commitment and employee participation and the mediating effect of employee participation.Practical implicationsThis study indirectly identifies the impact of a union on organizational performance from an individual-level perspective. It also provides new evidence for union construction in order to obtain support from corporate executives in China.Originality/valueThis study makes an important contribution to the literature by proposing and examining the mediating role of employee participation and the moderating role of affective commitment in the underlying mechanism between union commitment and job performance.