Union Presence Research Articles

Limiting distribution of X-chromosomal coalescence times under first-cousin consanguineous mating

By providing additional opportunities for coalescence within families, the presence of consanguineous unions in a population reduces coalescence times relative to non-consanguineous populations. First-cousin consanguinity can take one of six forms differing in the configuration of sexes in the pedigree of the male and female cousins who join in a consanguineous union: patrilateral parallel, patrilateral cross, matrilateral parallel, matrilateral cross, bilateral parallel, and bilateral cross. Considering populations with each of the six types of first-cousin consanguinity individually and a population with a mixture of the four unilateral types, we examine coalescent models of consanguinity. We previously computed, for first-cousin consanguinity models, the mean coalescence time for X-chromosomal loci and the limiting distribution of coalescence times for autosomal loci. Here, we use the separation-of-time-scales approach to obtain the limiting distribution of coalescence times for X-chromosomal loci. This limiting distribution has an instantaneous coalescence probability that depends on the probability that a union is consanguineous; lineages that do not coalesce instantaneously coalesce according to an exponential distribution. We study the effects on the coalescence time distribution of the type of first-cousin consanguinity, showing that patrilateral-parallel and patrilateral-cross consanguinity have no effect on X-chromosomal coalescence time distributions and that matrilateral-parallel consanguinity decreases coalescence times to a greater extent than does matrilateral-cross consanguinity.

Employers’ Perceived Career Impact of Canada’s Parental-Leave Extension from 35 to 61 Weeks—“An Empty Gift”

Introduced in 1990, Canadian parental-leave policy has seen several iterations. The most recent policy change, introduced in December 2017, extended parental leave from 35 to 61 weeks, resulting in longer work interruptions. Forty-six structured interviews were conducted to explore Canadian employers’ perception of how use of the new extended leave may impact employees’ careers. Though some employers offered explicit support for employees, a large proportion of employers felt that use of the longer leave would negatively impact employees’ careers. The presence of unions appeared to insulate employees from a career impact. A thematic analysis revealed that the career impact perceived by employers resulted from concern for employees’ missed opportunities (e.g., training, promotions), length of absence, specific employment situations (e.g., role, level in the organization, career ambitions, and tenure with the organization), and gendered views of employee leave use. Given that the vast majority of Canadian parental-leave users continue to be women, this research highlights the presence of considerable workplace stigma for work interruptions and that longer parental leave may only serve to exacerbate that stigma, especially for women. Recommendations and implications for parental-leave policy, workers, and employers are discussed.

Human-Centered Automation: Codetermining New Technology in an Innovative Mining Company

Underground mining is transforming rapidly, driven by pressures to increase safety and productivity. New mining technologies and methods move the industry to higher levels of automation, enabled by and leading to organizational change. Swedish mining companies are at the forefront of these developments. Here, we present findings from a qualitative case study on how novel mining technologies and algorithmic systems are codetermined and regulated by unions and management at the Swedish mining and minerals company Boliden AB. The company has a strong local union presence and cooperative union-management relationships. We interview employer and employee representatives, study local codetermination protocols and other relevant documents, as well as legislated and collectively bargained regulations set outside the firm. Our analysis attempts to answer how and why the implementation of key technologies are codetermined and regulated. Our findings highlight union concerns about surveillance software, union and management concerns about occupation-specific tasks being reshuffled or automated, mutual (employer-union) agreement on safety and productivity priorities, and challenges relating to skill shortages and training. Collective bargaining on these and other issues rests on the five-tier governance and regulatory structure of the Swedish industrial relations system, which provides unions with holdup capacity and enforcement capabilities. Hence, the employer is incentivized to share information and deliberate with unions about technological implementation. Our empirical and theoretical contributions provide insights on how future of work challenges can be solved at the local level through negotiation, and highlight the multi-tiered institutional framework that allocates holdup power, and thus voice, to local parties.

Opponent or allied? An European analysis of the union presence and human resource practices.

Human Resources Practices (HRPs) and unions coexist in some organisations to manage the employment relationships of the workers. In this study, we analyse how the presence/absence of unions and HRPs are combined in private European organisations, and which of these combinations are related to higher levels of wellbeing and the quality of labor relations. Data come from 24,503 workers of private organisations, obtained from the Sixth European Working Conditions Survey. Latent profiles analysis and different analyses of the variance suggested four different profiles. The profile with the greatest presence of HRPs and union presence is related to the highest levels of employees' wellbeing and quality of labor relations in organisations, whereas those organisations with a low level of union presence or HRPs reached the worst levels in employees' wellbeing and quality of labor relations indicators. The results and their practical implications are discussed.

The fragmenting occupation of labour inspection and the degradation of regulatory and enforcement work inside the British state

While union presence and joint regulation of work and employment has declined, the state maintains a key role in directly regulating employment standards in areas including health and safety, minimum wage enforcement and subcontracting. Based on an empirical study of enforcement agencies in Britain, this article argues that the nature of regulatory work and its reshaping by both exogenous and endogenous pressures ultimately influences the impact of regulation itself and how it is enforced. Major shifts in the skills, knowledge and networks critical to the nature of labour inspection work parallel developments within the workplaces they are responsible for regulating.

Abdul, G., A., & Sehar, S. (2015). Conflict management and organizational performance: A case study of Askari Bank Ltd. Research Journal of Finance and Accounting. 6(11), 201. Adhiambo, R., & Simatwa, M. (2011). Assessment of conflict management and resolution in public secondary schools in Kenya: A case study of Nyakach District. International Research Journal 2(4), 1074-1088. Adomi, E., & Anie,

The Constitution of Kenya specifically recognizes the freedom of association to form and belong to trade unions. However, despite the adoption of the Labour Relations Act, union practice is still hampered by excessive restrictions. The EPZ companies are labor intensive requiring a large amount of labor to produce its goods or service and thus, the welfare of the employees play a key role in their functions. This study sought to determine the effect of trade union practices on employees’ welfare at export processing zones industries in Athi River, Kenya. The specific objectives sought to determine the effect of collective bargaining agreements, industrial action, dispute resolution and trade union representation on employees’ welfare at export processing zones industries in Athi River, Kenya. The study employed a descriptive research design. Primary data was collected by means of a structured questionnaire. The target population of the study was employees in EPZ companies in Athi River, Kenya with large employees enrolled in active trade unions. The unit of observation was the employees in the trade unions. The findings indicated that collective bargaining agreements had a positive and significant coefficient with employees’ welfare at the EPZ industries. Industrial action had a positive but non-significant effect with employees’ welfare at Export Processing Zones industries. Dispute resolution had a positive and significant coefficient with employees’ welfare at the EPZ industries. Trade union representation had a positive and significant coefficient with employees’ welfare at the EPZ industries. The study recommended that trade union should avoid the path of confrontation but continue dialogue through the collective bargaining process and demands should be realistic in nature with what is obtainable in the related industry. An existence of a formal two way communication between management and trade unions will ensure that right message is properly understood and on time too. Keywords: Collective Bargaining Agreements, Industrial Action, Dispute Resolution, Trade Union Representation, Employees Welfare & Export Processing Zones

Association between labor union presence and return to work after occupational injury or illness: A nationally representative longitudinal study in South Korea.

This study sought to examine the association between labor union presence and return to work after occupational injury or illness (RTW) among workers in South Korea. We analyzed the first (2018) and second (2019) wave data from the Panel Study of Workers' Compensation Insurance in South Korea. The cohort consisted of 3,294 workers who had suffered occupational injury or illness and completed their convalescence by 2017. We examined whether RTW was associated with the presence of labor unions in the workplace at the time of the occupational injury or illness occurred. Compared to workers without labor unions, those with labor unions were more likely to report RTW (prevalence ratio: 1.35, 95% confidence interval: 1.20-1.51) after adjusting for potential confounders, including employment status, duration of convalescence, and severity of injury or illness. This study found that labor union presence was associated with RTW among workers who suffered occupational injury or illness in South Korea.

Digital communication as a global challenge for trade unions: lessons from Brazil and Portugal

As a cross-cutting issue encompassing all of society, the evolution of digital technologies is particularly challenging to traditional labour actors that are accustomed to physical work and face-to-face contact. This article discusses the distinctive possibilities of social media use as a forward-thinking global strategy for organised labour. After an initial clarification of useful concepts to consider in the digital age, we focus on the social media presence of trade unions, identifying the pros and cons associated with platform-based communication. Finally, the article debates the implications of social media platforms as tools to strengthen networks with nonunion actors and contribute to the amplification of the labour agenda. Through a comparative analysis of four trade union confederations, two from Brazil and two from Portugal, we argue that, despite the possibilities for outreach and interaction enabled by the new communication and information technologies, trade union confederations maintain constricted networks and an outdated top-down communications model.

Social democracy and the decline of strikes

This paper tests if a strong labor movement leads to fewer industrial conflicts. The focus is on Sweden between the first general election in 1919 and the famous Saltsjöbaden Agreement in 1938, a formative period when the country transitioned from fierce labor conflicts to a state of industrial peace. We use panel data techniques to analyze more than 2000 strikes in 103 Swedish towns. We find that a shift of political majority towards the Social Democrats led to a significant decline in strikes, but only in towns where union presence was strong. The strike-reducing mechanism is related to corporatist explanations rather than increased social spending in municipal budgets.

A conceptual framework of teacher turnover: a systematic review of the empirical international literature and insights from the employee turnover literature

ABSTRACT We present a conceptual framework of teacher turnover, which is guided by the broader employee turnover literature and supported by the empirical literature. Synthesising nearly forty years of international research on teacher turnover through a systematic review process, we organise the determinants of teacher turnover into nine categories grouped into personal correlates, school correlates, and external correlates. External correlates are defined as factors that are outside the individual or the workplace such as the general unemployment rate or union presence. For each category, we discuss the empirical results and their implications for teacher turnover. We also highlight gaps in the empirical literature and suggest policy levers to positively influence the teacher workforce.

Compliance and Enforcement in Italian Labour Law

This article examines the main compliance and enforcement techniques in Italian labour law. With regard to compliance techniques, three examples are examined: the sufficient wage, the vicarious liability rule in the case of outsourcing, and health and safety regulations in the light of the EU model. The importance of the strong presence of unions and workers’ representatives inside the workplace is also emphasized. The article then addresses the evolving role of the labour inspectorate in a modern enforcement perspective and the main rules and practices of courts dealing with employment matters, which traditionally play a crucial role in the Italian system. Compliance Techniques – Unions’ Role – Enforcement – Labour Inspections – Labour Courts

Trade Unions and the Welfare of Rural-Urban Migrant Workers in China

Using a panel survey, the authors investigate how the welfare of rural-urban migrant workers in China is affected by trade union presence at the workplace. Controlling for individual fixed effects, they find the following. Relative to workers from workplaces without union presence or with inactive unions, both union-covered non-members and union members in workplaces with active unions earn higher monthly income, are more likely to have a written contract, be covered by social insurances, receive fringe benefits, express work-related grievances through official channels, feel more satisfied with their lives, and are less likely to have mental health problems.

Sewn in Coal Country: An Oral History of the Ladies' Garment Industry in Northeastern Pennsylvania, 1945–1995

Sewn in Coal Country: An Oral History of the Ladies' Garment Industry in Northeastern Pennsylvania, 1945–1995

Does class size matter? How, and at what cost?

Using Greek high quality administrative data we show that class size has a hump shaped effect on achievement whereas most of the literature assumes linearity. We then embed our estimates for this relationship in a dynamic structural model with costs of hiring and firing. We find that class sizes around 19 maximize the attainment, and the existing costs result in an average class size of 22–23 being chosen. Firing costs are about the same size as hiring costs consistent with the presence of unions. Reducing firing costs to zero raises class size by 4–6 students and reduces achievement by 0.8 to 1.2 GPA points. Reducing hiring costs to zero reduces class size by 3–5 students and increases GPA by 0.3 GPA points. Raising wages by 50%, class size increases by 2 students and GPA falls by 0.3 GPA points suggesting that unions (which raise salaries and firing costs) do raise class size, but have a small effect on achievement. We show that class size caps are costly, and more so for small schools, even when they are set at levels well above the average class size.

Trade Unions and Workers’ Life Satisfaction in South Korea

This study analyses the effects of trade unions’ presence in workplaces and union membership on workers’ overall life satisfaction. We estimate a correlated random effects panel ordered probit model using the Korean Labor and Income Panel Study. While the presence of unions increases the probability of reporting a higher level of overall life satisfaction, union membership has no effect. These effects exist only for healthy men who are employed on a permanent contract. Finally, we show that unions’ effects on life satisfaction have four mediating channels—job satisfaction, social security, real wage and fringe benefits.

Positioning construction workers' vocational training of Guangdong in the global political-economic spectrum of skill formation

PurposeThis paper explores the vocational training of construction workers in Guangdong Province of China and identifies its position in the global political-economic spectrum of skill formation.Design/methodology/approachThe paper reviews construction vocational education and training (VET) of major political economies to develop a theoretical framework that guides an in-depth case study of Guangdong. Document analysis, field trip observations, meetings and semi-structured interviews were combined to explore the political-economic environment, political stakeholders and quality assurance mechanisms of industrial training in Guangdong's construction sector. The findings were compared with construction VET of other economies reported in the literature.FindingsConstruction training in Guangdong is deeply rooted in the local history and culture, under strong dominance of the state, while continually evolves to respond to the fluid market and therefore can be conceptualised as “market-in-state”. The political stakeholders are embedded within the state to ensure that skills policies are implemented in-line with industry policies. The differences between the training of Guangdong and its foreign counterparts are attributed to their divergent political-economic models.Research limitations/implicationsAs the case study was undertaken only with Guangdong, the generalisability of its findings can be improved through future research within a broader context of multiple provinces of China through both qualitative and quantitative research approaches.Practical implicationsPlausible foreign VET approaches are likely adaptable to the Chinese context only when conducive political-economic environment could be enabled. The findings are useful for developing countries to learn from the VET experience of industrialised economies. Construction workers' training in Guangdong can be improved by strengthening labour regulation at lower subcontracting levels and ensuring the presence of industrial associations and unions for collective training supervision.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to the field of construction engineering and management with a theoretical framework that guides empirical studies on the influence of the political-economic environment upon the ways political stakeholders develop and participate in construction VET. The exploration based on this framework revealed the position of the vocational training of construction workers in Guangdong in the global political-economic spectrum of skill formation.

Labor Unions and the Electoral Consequences of Trade Liberalization

We show that the Brazilian trade liberalization in the early 1990s led to a permanent relative decline in the vote share of left-wing presidential candidates in the regions more affected by the tariff cuts. This happened even though the shock, implemented by a right-wing party, induced a contraction in manufacturing and formal employment in the more affected regions, and despite the left’s identification with protectionist policies. To rationalize this response, we consider a new institutional channel for the political effects of trade shocks: the weakening of labor unions. We provide support for this mechanism in two steps. First, we show that union presence—proxied by the number of workers directly employed by unions, by union density, and by the number of union establishments—declined in regions that became more exposed to foreign competition. Second, we show that the negative effect of tariff reductions on the votes for the left was driven exclusively by political parties with historical links to unions. Furthermore, the impact of the trade liberalization on the vote share of these parties was significant only in regions that had unions operating before the reform. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that tariff cuts reduced the vote share of the left partly through the weakening of labor unions. This institutional channel is fundamentally different from the individual-level responses, motivated by economic or identity concerns, that have been considered in the literature.

Does CEO Overconfidence Affect Workplace Safety?

We study the impact of CEO overconfidence on workplace safety. We provide robust evidence of a positive relation between CEO overconfidence and workplace injury rates, implying that CEO overconfidence impairs workplace safety. In cross-sectional analysis, we find that the documented effect is amplified among firms with greater concentration of decision rights in headquarters and high employee turnover, while is mitigated among firms with stronger labor union presence, high institutional ownership, and CEOs who are close to retirement age. Supplemental analysis points to poor corporate safety culture and increased employee workload as the mechanisms behind the documented relation.

Cultural Challenges of BlueBird Bio Expansion into Germany

BlueBird Bio is a biotechnology multinational corporation (MNC), with headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts, specializing in gene therapy solutions for autoimmune diseases and cancer. The company was recently approved, in Germany, for their new drug Zynteglo for the treatment of betta thalassemia. This approval opened the door for further investment in the European market, starting with the contracting of Apceth Biopharma and purchases of new land and equipment to establish a permanent residence in the country. The opening of the new European headquarters will demonstrate new challenges for BlueBird Bio, as cultural and institutional differences between the host country and parent country are quite distinctive. Some of the main differences among countries are their cultural dimensions in dealing with risk, masculinity, and indulgence. Unlike the United States, Germany is risk avert, values input of all in decision-making, and has a general attitude following the best practice approach. The US focuses on the individual dimension of a culture where employees are valued for their independence. Furthermore, the differences between governmental policies in the two countries vary strongly. The German government has strict policies on employee protection and can affect the decision making of the organization. There is also the presence of labor unions and collective bargaining; two aspects of organizational structure US-based companies are trying to avoid. BlueBird Bio is an emerging MNC, and its success depends upon its ability to recognize the differences in cultures and institutions between the countries. The company has already been exposed to multiple countries in Europe and has strong programs in employee education supplemented with strong company benefits for its employees, which is providing excellent groundwork for establishing headquarters in Germany.

Fathers’ Perceptions of the Availability of Flexible Working Arrangements: Evidence from the UK

A conditional right to request flexible working arrangements (FWAs) has existed for most UK employee parents since 2003. However, there are growing concerns about access, particularly among fathers. Using nationally representative data from the 2015 UK Household Longitudinal Survey, this article examines fathers’ perceptions of the availability of hours reduction, schedule flexibility and working from home. Results show that almost one-third of fathers believe that FWAs that reduce working hours are unavailable to them, compared with one-tenth of mothers. There are no gender differences in perceptions of availability of schedule and location flexibility. Among fathers, those with lower education levels, in lower status occupations, working in the private sector and in workplaces that do not have trade union presence are more likely to believe that FWAs are unavailable. Therefore, even though most employees now have the right to request FWAs, a significant minority of fathers do not perceive FWAs to be available to them.