Today, labor union membership has dropped to its lowest level in over 40 years. Attempts to boost aggregate union membership through large scale organizing drives have largely failed. This has placed a great deal of pressure on unions to provide services to existing union members. This would seem to be especially true for labor unions operating in right-to-work states where union members can simply quit the union if they are not satisfied with the union's efforts. Accordingly, this project sought to explain the extent to which local unions have been successful in achieving desirable bargaining outcomes for their members through the exercise of bargaining power. The purpose of this project was to assess the relationship between sources of plant-level bargaining power and changes in collective bargaining outcomes in an open-shop environment. Sources of power were grouped into those over which the union had relatively greater control (strikes, union strength, and decertification attempts) and those over the employer had relatively greater control (bargaining unit employment, plant closure communications, and degree of labor intensity). A three-page survey questionnaire was employed to collect plant-level data from Virginia and Iowa representing sources of bargaining power relevant to specific time periods to help identify whether sources of bargaining power were more or less effective in securing bargaining outcomes favorable to the local union during episodes of union militancy. Results demonstrate that strike incidence and union strength, two consistent traditional predictors of various bargaining outcomes were ineffective as sources of union bargaining power at least for these samples. Strike duration did lead to greater bargaining outcomes for union members in Iowa. Decertification activity was so low in these samples that meaningful relationships were not possible. Changes in bargaining unit employment, over which the employer has relatively greater influence were directly related to bargaining outcomes in the Iowa sample of plants which did not experience strikes. In Virginia, the threat of a plant closure by an employer during an impasse lead to lower bargaining outcomes for union members as predicted. The degree of labor intensity was unrelated to changes in bargaining outcomes for either state. When considering all significant relationships (supportive and nonsupportive), strikes demonstrated a particularly disruptive influence. Research results suggested that future research should consider industrial, union affiliation, and regional differences in plant level studies. / Ph. D. / Pages xiv-xix missing.

Univ., Diss.--Gießen, 2003. / Literaturverz. S. 283 - 307.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-02-04T21:42:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Rogerio Pereira dos Santos.pdf: 761509 bytes, checksum: 31646ffa1381b13ab9d961203c902b41 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-12-09 / O objetivo desta pesquisa foi reunir elementos estruturados, para identificar e avaliar aspectos das relações entre trabalho e saúde do Trabalhador Portuário Avulso, tendo como base a realidade específica do Porto de Santos. O estudo levanta a hipótese de que fatores de ordem biológica, social e psicológica dos trabalhadores; e das condições e organizações do trabalho, influenciam diretamente nas condições de saúde destes. É um estudo de natureza exploratória, que articula elementos reconhecidos pela Saúde Coletiva como fatores de risco ou proteção à saúde. As informações obtidas através da pesquisa bibliográfica sobre: a realidade desses sujeitos sociais; as relações entre trabalho e saúde; e direitos sociais, foram articuladas para formulação de uma investigação qualitativa, com depoimentos do próprio trabalhador, estimulados através de um questionário semi-estruturado, analisados sistematicamente. Nas considerações finais, o estudo articula as análises das entrevistas com as bases das bibliografias pesquisadas, resultando em conclusões sobre os riscos da atividade e suas interconexões com a saúde, segundo a representação dos atores os TPAs que apontam propostas para reorganização do processo de produção, e melhor adequação das condições e ambiente de trabalho portuário, com o foco na saúde do trabalhador.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universiẗat Giessen, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 283-307).

Trade unions have been in existence for many years. Although their introduction was generally met with resistance, since their establishment trade unions have been important agents of social change worldwide. Over the years, trade unions have been involved in politics and other societal activities. In South Africa, trade unions for many years not only fought for worker’s rights within the workplace but also beyond the workplace. Trade unions started as friendly societies aimed at assisting their members with various matters, including offering financial help for education purposes and also in cases of illnesses. Although the main purpose of trade unions is to regulate relations between employees and their employers, trade unions perform other functions in society which can be broadly referred to as their social responsibility role. Unlike corporate social responsibility, which is recognised and formalised, trade union social responsibility is not, with the role and importance of social responsibility for trade unions having been largely ignored. This thesis aims at changing this by investigating their core responsibilities and their social responsibilities and subsequently making recommendations on how trade unions could recognise and accommodate their social responsibilities in their activities. It also considers factors that could assist trade unions in fulfilling their social responsibilities. Trade unions generally obtain legislative support for their core responsibilities, but not their social responsibilities; however this should not obstruct trade unions in such endeavours. As modern organisations it is high time that trade unions make a contribution towards sustainable development through their social responsibility role. / Private Law / LLD

Trade unions have been in existence for many years. Although their introduction was generally met with resistance, since their establishment trade unions have been important agents of social change worldwide. Over the years, trade unions have been involved in politics and other societal activities. In South Africa, trade unions for many years not only fought for worker’s rights within the workplace but also beyond the workplace. Trade unions started as friendly societies aimed at assisting their members with various matters, including offering financial help for education purposes and also in cases of illnesses. Although the main purpose of trade unions is to regulate relations between employees and their employers, trade unions perform other functions in society which can be broadly referred to as their social responsibility role. Unlike corporate social responsibility, which is recognised and formalised, trade union social responsibility is not, with the role and importance of social responsibility for trade unions having been largely ignored. This thesis aims at changing this by investigating their core responsibilities and their social responsibilities and subsequently making recommendations on how trade unions could recognise and accommodate their social responsibilities in their activities. It also considers factors that could assist trade unions in fulfilling their social responsibilities. Trade unions generally obtain legislative support for their core responsibilities, but not their social responsibilities; however this should not obstruct trade unions in such endeavours. As modern organisations it is high time that trade unions make a contribution towards sustainable development through their social responsibility role. / Private Law / LLD