Fit for fight? A cross-sectional study of union apathy in Norway

Abstract

The article synthesizes the literature on union commitment and union renewal through employing the concept of union apathy. This is done with a view to analyse the association between union strategies and union apathy, and the association between apathy and willingness to become a union delegate in Norway. To this end, the authors have run multivariate regressions on the YS Employment Outlook Survey. Results show that union strategy is significantly associated with apathy, and that apathetic union members are less willing to work for their union in the capacity of union delegate. The authors conclude that if unions are to counter apathy in an effort at renewal, and to ensure a sufficient pool of potential union delegates, they must mobilize the talents, ideas and energy of their members. Finally, the authors suggest that unions with an 'organizing' soul seem better equipped to counter apathy than unions bent on the 'servicing' model.

Social Disparities in Adopting Non-pharmaceutical Interventions During COVID-19 in Norway

“…Our data come from a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of the working-age Norwegian population (18–68 years), the YS Employment Outlook Survey (YS EOS), which has been administered annually since 2009 ( n = 3,000 per year; Bergene & Mamelund, 2015). The inclusion criterion for participation is that the respondent must work at least 40% of a full-time job, equivalent to two full days per week.…”

Social Class, Union Strategies, and Preference in Wage Outcomes in Norway

“…The four confederations differ in terms of their historical legacy and their orientation to the Labour Party. They are also different when it comes to level of centralization, union strategies and their size, as well as the industries their affiliates organise and the occupational character of their individual members (Bergene & Mamelund 2015). The organisations are LO (Landsorganisasjonen i Norge, The Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions), YS (Yrkesorganisasjonenes Sentralforbund, The Confederation of Vocational Unions), Unio (Confederation of Unions for Professionals) and Akademikerne (The Federation of Norwegian Professional Associations).…”

“…TNS Gallup gathers the data according to a stratified sampling procedure. There is an underrepresentation of young men with low education in the sample, due both to recruitment and non-response biases (see Bergene & Mamelund (2015) for more information on data gathering and sampling procedures). Union members are overrepresented in the net sample, and the share of union members varies between 64% and 68% in the seven waves of this study.…”

Factors Enhancing Member Commitment to Trade Unions in the Hospitality Industry in Zimbabwe

“…This ability to ensure members are effectively represented in all facets of their working life can help enhance member commitment to union business. Where the union fail to represent workers, as individuals at a disaggregated level they see no value of joining let alone committing to the unions (Bergene & Mamelund, 2017). When members feel the union is weak and cant bargaining effectively member commitment is compromised.…”