Individual Union Success in Obtaining Recognition: Some British Evidence
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8543.1987.tb00721.x |
| Published date | 01 November 1987 |
| Author | P. B. Beaumont |
| Date | 01 November 1987 |
Individual Union Success in Obtaining
Recog nition
:
Some British Evidence
P.
B.
Beaumont*
INTRODUCTION
In both Britain and the United States there is currently considerable
researcher and practitioner interest in the question
of
whether the trade
union movement, through co-ordinated strategy and/or the growth
orientated activities
of
individual unions, can increase the proportion
of
workers in unions,
independently
of
the influence of larger environmental
forces. Indeed, with overall union density falling in both systems, particu-
larly in the US, it is not surprising to find calls for the trade union
movement(s) to raise the general organisational priority accorded to
obtaining recognition, and in particular to identify and concentrate organ-
ising activities (possibly of new and differing types) in the relatively under-
organised sectors of the labour market (e.g. Kassalow,
1985).
As a contribution to this on-going discussion and debate the present paper
uses a
unique
body of British data to investigate whether an individual union
that has been the single, largest user
of
conciliation facilities for bringing
recognition claims, at least in one region
of
Britain, has enjoyed an above
average level
of
success (relative to other unions) in such claims. However,
before presenting our analysis and findings on this matter, we briefly review
the available studies that have some bearing on both this and the larger
question outlined above. This review covers relevant studies in both Britain
and the United States.
THE VIEWS AND FINDINGS
OF
PREVIOUS WORK
The traditional view in Britain, which is largely associated with the work of
George Bain
(1970,
pp
90-loo),
is that an overall increase in union density is
unlikely to result from the particular recruitment strategies and tactics
of
individual unions.
To
Bain it is very much factors exogenous to individual
union control (e.g. inflation, unemployment, workplace size and Govern-
ment policy) that are the key determinants of an overall increase in union
?Department
of
Social and Economic Research, University
of
Glasgow.
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