Union‐division: on the paradoxes of purpose and membership scope in union mergers

Abstract

Union mergers raise central questions about a union's raison d'être and the range of constituents it can serve effectively. Whereas the challenges posed by union purpose and scope of membership have long engaged researchers, few studies have fleshed out the contradictory issues that engage committed members and leaders during a merger. We argue that in mergers, fundamental themes in unionism intersect in paradoxical ways. We analyse a merger of tertiary education unions in New Zealand and situate its debates within a changing context for industrial relations. The case provides insight into the tensions inherent in union mergers by addressing the drivers for integration and differentiation as well as the role of leaders in shaping these. The findings elucidate paradoxical dynamics inherent in mergers: the paradox of purpose confronts the tension between industrial and craft unionism and the paradox of membership scope considers critical mass and communities of interest. The conclusion reflects on identity, leadership and context during mergers and poses contributions to research and practice.

The effects of union mergers and internal restructuring: a bottom‐up perspective by Danish shop stewards

“…In general, our analysis points to that the majority of shop stewards in Danish unions—merged or non‐merged—feel that their union represents their occupational group's interest; 10 per cent feel that this is not the case. However, in line with other research (Bednarek et al ., ; Behrens and Pekarek, ; Black et al ., ), size also appears to matter in the Danish case: the smaller the union, the larger share of shop stewards experience that their interests are well represented. The fact, that it is particularly large and medium‐sized Danish unions representing multiple interests, which have lost members in recent years (see appendix ), support the notion that unions with a heterogeneous membership base face greater difficulties in ensuring that their members and shop stewards feel well represented.…”

“…However, critics contest the very notion of stronger workers' solidarity and the potential membership gains following a union merger or restructuring. They argue that members may fail to identify themselves with their union and feel their interests being misrepresented or underrepresented after their union become part of a larger union with multiple interests and therefore might leave the unions (Bednarek et al ., ; Behrens and Pekarek, ). Other studies offer a more positive view regarding the impact of mergers on members' interest representation.…”

“…Union democracy is yet an issue that is potentially jeopardised when unions merge or restructure (Bednarek et al ., ; Sverke et al ., : 114). Union democracy can be perceived as ‘the distribution of decision‐making power between union leaders and union members’ (Fox, : 393).…”

Exploring performance management in four UK trade unions

“…In a similar vein, Bednarek et al (2012) distinguish between industrial unionism and trade consciousness. Industrial unionism aims to unite all workers in a particular industry regardless of their skill, occupation or status.…”

“…Trade consciousness is based on status division, exclusivity and narrow occupational identity. Trade consciousness is argued to be a feature of some modern professional UK unions (Bednarek et al, 2012) and can be traced back to the craft guilds of early British trade unionism. Professional trade unions are also comparable to the craft unions described by Hoxie in 1923 (Hoxie, 1923quoted in Hyman 2001.…”