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What Leads Organizational Members to Collectivize? Injustice and Identification as Precursors of Union Certification

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  • Steven L. Blader

    (Stern School of Business, New York University, 40 West 4th Street, Room 7-18, New York, New York 10012)

Abstract

This paper presents the results of two studies that examine the impact of both social psychological and economic concerns on organizational members’ decisions to support or oppose union formation. The studies test the predictions that procedural justice judgments and social identification---two social psychological factors that shape the nature of how people relate to their organizations---have a significant influence on people’s support for union certification and on the votes they cast in a union certification election. Importantly, it was predicted that these effects would emerge even after accounting for the influence of people’s economic concerns, which have been the primary focus of previous efforts to understand whether people support union formation. The results confirm these predictions and demonstrate that respondents’ positions on the unionization issue are shaped by procedural justice (Studies 1 and 2) and social identity (Study 2) even after accounting for economic factors. Furthermore, Study 2 shows that the impact of procedural justice judgments on union certification was partially mediated by social identity. More generally, the results highlight the importance of integrating both social psychological and economic concerns in models designed to explain organizational phenomena such as the formation of unions.

Suggested Citation

  • Steven L. Blader, 2007. "What Leads Organizational Members to Collectivize? Injustice and Identification as Precursors of Union Certification," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 18(1), pages 108-126, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ororsc:v:18:y:2007:i:1:p:108-126
    DOI: 10.1287/orsc.1060.0217
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Herbert G. Heneman III & Marcus H. Sandver, 1983. "Predicting the Outcome of Union Certification Elections: A Review of the Literature," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 36(4), pages 537-559, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. David M. Sluss & Blake E. Ashforth, 2008. "How Relational and Organizational Identification Converge: Processes and Conditions," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 19(6), pages 807-823, December.
    2. Cedric E. Dawkins, 2019. "A Normative Argument for Independent Voice and Labor Unions," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 155(4), pages 1153-1165, April.
    3. Thomas Zagenczyk & Ray Gibney & W. Few & Kristin Scott, 2011. "Psychological Contracts and Organizational Identification: The Mediating Effect of Perceived Organizational Support," Journal of Labor Research, Springer, vol. 32(3), pages 254-281, September.
    4. Laura Poppo & Kevin Zheng Zhou, 2014. "Managing contracts for fairness in buyer–supplier exchanges," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(10), pages 1508-1527, October.
    5. Adrienne E. Eaton & Sean E. Rogers & Tracy F. H. Chang & Paula B. Voos, 2014. "Choosing union representation: the role of attitudes and emotions," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(2), pages 169-188, March.
    6. Christina Cregan & Timothy Bartram & Pauline Stanton, 2009. "Union Organizing as a Mobilizing Strategy: The Impact of Social Identity and Transformational Leadership on the Collectivism of Union Members," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 47(4), pages 701-722, December.

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