Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

6-1981

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Industrial and Organizational Psychology

Major Professor

John M Larsen

Committee Members

John Lounsbury, Michael Gordon, Gerald Whitlock

Abstract

Three union status groups were compared with two occupational status groups in order to contrast their responses on a number of work and union related outcomes. Union status was defined as those nonunion workers who would vote for union representation (VF), those nonunion workers who would vote against union representation (VA), and union members (UM), Occupational status was defined as white-collar workers (WC) or blue-collar workers (BC). It was hypothesized that these groups would differ on attitudinal and intention to turnover measures. For the job satisfaction scales it was predicted that VF < VA = UM, and BC < WC. For the intention to turnover scale it was predicted that VF < VA < UM, and WC < BC. For the union scales it was predicted that VA < VF = UM, and WC < BC.

A 2 X 3 analysis of covariance was performed using dummy variables in a hierarchical multiple regression model. Union status (VF, VA, UM) and occupational status (WC, BC) were considered independent variables. Tenure and job content, two sources of job satisfaction, were included as covariates.

The results from the analyses offered mixed support for the hypotheses. The hypotheses concerning the VF group were confirmed. This group was found to be the most dissatisfied, the most likely to change jobs, and the most similar to union members (UM) in their attitudes toward unions.

Overall, the hypotheses pertaining to the vote against group (VA) and the union member group (UM) were not confirmed for the job satisfaction and union related scales. It was predicted that these two groups would have different attitudes toward unions but similar levels of job satisfaction. Contrary to the hypotheses, an unexpected interaction between union status and occupational status was found for the economic and overall job satisfaction scales. Also, the vote against group (VA) was more satisfied with noneconomic issues and with their jobs as a whole than union members (DM). The hypotheses regarding beliefs about unions were also partially supported. The results supported the union status hypotheses concerning instrumentality, but failed to support those concerning big-labor image. With the exception of big-labor image, all the hypotheses concerning occupational status were not supported.

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