British Journal of Industrial Relations最新文献

Research on the consequences of works councils has been dominated by economic aspects. Our study provides evidence that works councils have non-financial consequences for society that go beyond the boundaries of the workplace. Using panel data from a large sample of workers in Germany, we show that works councils have an influence on workers’ party preferences. Works council presence is negatively associated with preferences for extreme right-wing parties and positively associated with preferences for the Social Democratic Party and The Left. These results hold in panel data estimations including a large set of controls and accounting for unobserved individual-specific factors. Our findings fit the notion that workplace democracy increases workers’ solidarity and their awareness of social and political issues. However, the influence of works council representation on party preferences is gender-specific. Asymmetric gender norms within society may entail a lower responsiveness of women's party preferences to workplace democracy.

We compare union officer occupational turnaway in Canada, Italy and the United States. We identify three forces that, in addition to industrial relations institutional settings, shape union officers’ individual decisions on turnaway: push, pull and values. We analysed 101 semi-structured interviews with ex-union officers. To shed light on the diversity of their turnaway, we propose a typology composed of six types, each of which is based on one force or the interplay of two or three. Our findings suggest occupational values misfit is central. Former officers experienced a gap between their values and the union's external mission and/or internal functioning, or even developed a root occupational values difference. In addition, contextual characteristics seem to shape turnaway, including industrial relations institutions and societal values. Implications for trade union organizational policies are discussed.

Building on existing studies of national employment systems, we undertake a comparative analysis of the micro-foundations of employment relations in Britain and France. Our analysis utilizes harmonized, linked employer-employee survey data for the two countries and takes a multi-dimensional approach in which the national level remains meaningful but within-country variance is also emphasized. Our analysis contrasts the British model characterized by variability and heterogeneity with a French model characterized by stability and uniformity. We discuss ways in which these systems are shaped by differences in employer and employee networks, the financial and organizational links between firms and macro-institutions.

Labour union organizing has experienced a resurgence of interest in the United States. However, a series of unionization drives have spotlighted the hostility of employers toward unionization. Despite numerous studies examining employer anti-unionism from a qualitative perspective, a significant gap remains as there is currently no available instrument to quantitatively measure this phenomenon. This study, therefore, develops and validates a scale that measures employee perceptions of employer anti-unionism. Based on data gleaned from US workers (N = 55, N = 200, N = 225, N = 250 and N = 158) at two points in time, it follows a multi-step scale development procedure. The 10-item unidimensional scale, which provides a micro-level snapshot of workplace realities, is characterized by internal consistency and composite reliability, as well as indicates face, content and construct validity. The study also confirmed the instrument's predictive and nomological validity. The results indicate that there was a negative relationship between employer anti-unionism and organizational identification, and that attitudes toward unions moderated this relationship. We also found that employer anti-unionism was negatively associated with workers’ job satisfaction, intention to quit and positively with intention to join unions. The study concludes by discussing its theoretical contributions and practical implications.