Inclusive unionism: Strategies for retaining idealism in the Service Employees International Union

Abstract

Unions in general, and American unions in particular, have not always been beacons of progressivism-many have historically focused on relatively narrow economic interests and job control (Barbash, 1984; Kochan, Katz, & McKersie, 1986; Perlman, 1966). Early commentators observed that the American labor movement "has never been profoundly ideological, nor has it provided a particularly easy entry to a political career" (Bok & Dunlop, 1970: 55). But unions have once again become associated with social justice as recent efforts to revitalize have involved allying with community groups and anti-poverty organizations and incorporated social movement strategies (Clawson, 2003; Fantasia & Voss, 2004; Fantasia & Stepan-Norris, 2004). This has drawn into American unions, whose staff have historically been socially conservative and focused on 'bread-and-butter' issues (Barbash, 1967; 1984), new staff who associate union work fundamentally with social change and social justice (Rooks, 2004; Fantasia & Voss, 2004). Observations of the progressive reforms that have galvanized American unions have emphasized that professional staff in these unions led the radical innovations that have successfully revitalized these organizations and the labor movement (Fantasia & Voss, 2004; Milkman & Voss, 2004; Milkman, 2004; Rooks, 2004). Despite the vast amount of scholarship covering the progressive turn in unions in the US and in Europe (Clawson, 2003, Heery, Kelly,

Turnover intentions, training and motivations among Australian union staff

“…Some scholars have investigated the impact of union employee characteristics on union effectiveness, including the role of member-orientation (Gahan and Bell, 1999), and workplace delegate relationships (Markey and Simpkin, 2017). Yu (2018) examined union staff ideals and their impact on organisational inclusivity, role boundaries and career development, however this was a qualitative exploration in the United States and did not quantify any theorised relationships. Within an Australian context, Burchielli (2004) also used a qualitative methodology to explore union employees' opinions and developed a theoretical model of effectiveness that included ideology as a central pillar.…”

“…Recent studies indicate an increasing interest in social justice (Yu, 2018), in addition to a long-standing interest in workplace justice, as suggested by qualitative interviews with union administrators (Burchielli, 2008) and books on union officers (Kelly and Heery, 2009) among other sources. Through interviews with union staff, Burchielli (2004) explored a range of ideological pillars underlying union effectiveness, suggesting that union employees tend to be driven by more than pro-social motivations to serve members, whereby their intensity of belief in righteous equality, fairness, and opportunity transforms into a staunch desire for social-industrial justice and political change.…”

“…These characteristics are suggestive of strong occupational affiliation, shared identity and emotional investment in their members, along with strong dedication to their work. As union employees identify with the members and their hardship, they are more likely to be intrinsically motivated to serve their members (Yu, 2018). Identification with their members might reflect their job role, shared vocational experience and struggle, similarity in beliefs and attitudes (Martin, 1999), or even perceived injustice in early life (Yu, 2018).…”

“…Their keen interest in work-related justice (Yu, 2018) means they are more likely to be aware and critical of management policies and practices. This could increase pressure on union management to ensure all organisational ideals are put into practice internally (Thompson and Bunderson, 2003).…”

Foreign workers: On the other side of gendered, racial, political and ethical borders

“…It is also the case that employment regulations, work practices and the management of organizations are all influenced by assumptions and norms about sexuality, gender, race and nationality (Acker, 2006). This has significant ramifications for the lived experience of foreign workers (Essers et al, 2010), for the potential for their engagement in diverse organizing and resistance efforts (Alberti et al, 2013; Yu, 2014a), and for the workplace as a ‘cultural battleground’ (Yu, 2019).…”