Thesis (Ph. D.)--York University, 1997. Graduate Programme in Sociology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 217-231). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pNQ27286.

This study examined women’s committees in two public sector unions in British Columbia with predominantly female memberships over a twenty year period. The question addressed was how and under what circumstances the committees could secure gains for women, given a context where women remain at a power disadvantage relative to men. Gains sought were of three types: 1) improvements in contract clauses particularly beneficial to women; 2) increased female participation in union governance; and 3) structural changes conducive to future increases in female participation in union governance. Structures as defmed included both formal structures and other regularized procedures, including processes of communication, decision making and resource distribution. Based on literatures from several disciplines, a power model was developed that guided data collection. Data were collected via archival research and semi-structured interviews, and analyzed qualitatively. The study found that the structures governing how the committees operated were significant factors in committee effectiveness and that the active cooperation of the leadership and/or the membership ensured that structures conducive to committee effectiveness existed. The committees’ major challenge was to align their goals with those of the leadership or the membership in order to generate the level of support that would permit them to achieve their goals. The degree of alignment between committee and membership goals affected to what extent the committee could secure goals not supported by the leadership and was the major variable affecting committee power. However, committee power was not necessarily associated with the level of gains achieved for women because both leadership and membership actions and existing union structures could induce outcomes for women not orchestrated by the committees. As a result of this research, the initial power model was refined and the restrictions on the committees’ and leaderships’ use of power were clarified. The utility of crossing the disciplinary boundaries between organizational theory, industrial relations, and political science to explore how power is exercised in unions was demonstrated. Support for the political model of organizations was generated, suggesting that insights gained from the study of unions might advance organizational theorizing.

Thesis (PhD)--University of Adelaide, 1996. / Photocopy reproduction. Bibliography: p. 273-312.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Iowa, 2007. / Supervisor: Kevin T. Leicht. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 211-221).

This study examined women’s committees in two public sector unions in British Columbia with predominantly female memberships over a twenty year period. The question addressed was how and under what circumstances the committees could secure gains for women, given a context where women remain at a power disadvantage relative to men. Gains sought were of three types: 1) improvements in contract clauses particularly beneficial to women; 2) increased female participation in union governance; and 3) structural changes conducive to future increases in female participation in union governance. Structures as defmed included both formal structures and other regularized procedures, including processes of communication, decision making and resource distribution. Based on literatures from several disciplines, a power model was developed that guided data collection. Data were collected via archival research and semi-structured interviews, and analyzed qualitatively. The study found that the structures governing how the committees operated were significant factors in committee effectiveness and that the active cooperation of the leadership and/or the membership ensured that structures conducive to committee effectiveness existed. The committees’ major challenge was to align their goals with those of the leadership or the membership in order to generate the level of support that would permit them to achieve their goals. The degree of alignment between committee and membership goals affected to what extent the committee could secure goals not supported by the leadership and was the major variable affecting committee power. However, committee power was not necessarily associated with the level of gains achieved for women because both leadership and membership actions and existing union structures could induce outcomes for women not orchestrated by the committees. As a result of this research, the initial power model was refined and the restrictions on the committees’ and leaderships’ use of power were clarified. The utility of crossing the disciplinary boundaries between organizational theory, industrial relations, and political science to explore how power is exercised in unions was demonstrated. Support for the political model of organizations was generated, suggesting that insights gained from the study of unions might advance organizational theorizing. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate

There is a general view that women have joined trade unions in large numbers in the work environment. However, it is clear that in spite of such large numbers, there are low levels of representativity as well as low levels of active involvement among the women members. As a consequence, women do not have enough bargaining power within the unions. This study investigates reasons for this low level of representativity and active involvement of women members in BOSETU. This research, therefore, aims at finding out the extent to which Botswana secondary school women unionists face challenges in terms of their participation and representation in BOSETU. The data was collected from a sample of female and male trade unionists from Botswana Secondary School Teachers Union (BOSETU), which is one of the Botswana Public Sector Unions. This study adopted a qualitative research methodology using a triangulation of methods through the use of interviews, observation and documentary analysis. There were two separate interview schedules; one for the women unionists and the other for key informants. The study drew on Feminist Theories such as patriarchy to explain the low levels of participation and representation of women in trade unions. The study further points out that there are marginally more women in BOSETU than men. However, in spite of this numerical advantage, their membership is neither proportionally represented in the union leadership hierarchy nor is their participation in union affairs robust enough. These findings are consistent with the literature on gender and trade unionism which indicate that there are several obstacles to women participation and representation in unions. vii This study contributes to the body of existing knowledge about women in trade unions. It confirms findings of other studies that women still experience structural disadvantages as unionists, despite trade unions’ constitutional support and the changing environment in legislature.

Quebec unions negotiating with federal, provincial, or municipal governments were studied for two outcomes relevant to women’s social welfare: women’s elective status, and collective agreement provisions favourable to women workers. Multiple analytic methods explored two aims: to develop a model of unions’ interaction with women members, and to derive typologies of unions. Union typologies derived from cluster analysis show that unions ranking high on those measures relevant to women’s welfare show greatest similarity on the following indices: union democracy, educational programs, organizational responsiveness to women members, policy toward political and social change, internal union women’s committees, and percentage of women. Path analytic results reveal that women’s committees are a more effective intra-union strategy than is an electoral strategy; and that progressive union policy is necessary but not sufficient for women to achieve greater equality in collective barganing outcomes. The path model explained 55% of variance in collective agreement outcomes. / Cette etude porte sur deux questions relatives a la condition de la femme dans les syndicats qui, au Quebec, negocient avec les gouvernements federal, provincial et municipal: la representation de la femme dans les postes elus et les dispositions des conventions collectives favorables aux travailleuses. Differentes methodes d’analyses statistiques ont utilisees afin d’etablir un modele d’interaction entre les syndicats et leurs syndiquees ainsi que differentes typologies de syndicats. Ces typologies, derivees des analyses en grappes (cluster analysis), demontrent que les syndicats qui ont obtenu des resultats eleves dans les questions reliees a la la condition feminine ont Ie plus haut degre de similitude dans les indices suivants: democratie syndicale, programmes de formation, ouverture du syndicat face au femmes membres, position syndicale en regard des changements sociaux et politiques, comites internes sur la condition feminine, et proportion de femmes membres. Une illustration graphique selon Ie path analysis revele que les comites intrasyndicaux sur la condition feminine donnent de meilleurs resultats qU’une strategie electorale. Ces analyses indiquent egalement qu’une ideologie syndicale progressiste est necessaire mais non suffisante pour permettre aux femmes d’atteindre une plus grande egalite dans les conventions collectives. Ce modele d’analyse (path model) explique 55% des variances dans les dispositions des conventions collectives.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Murdoch University, 2004. / Thesis submitted to the Division of Arts. Bibliography: leaves 219-250.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California at Los Angeles, 1988. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 363-392).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Duquesne University, 2006. / Title from document title page. Abstract included in electronic submission form. Includes bibliographical references (p. 163-181) and index.