The percentage of the U.S. work force that is unionized is at its lowest level in more than 50 years. Although many studies have sought the reasons for this decline, few have investigated characteristics of unions themselves as possible factors. This paper focuses on unions as organizations, and...

This paper investigates the impact of union militancy, size, centralization, and democracy on wages, fringe benefits, and other bargaining outcomes. Using data on bargaining outcomes at the bargaining unit level in conjunction with data on comparative union characteristics, the authors find...

This study investigates the relationship between curriculum choice and occupational choice. The lag between curriculum choice and degree attainment generally ensures a mismatch between new labor supply and employer requirements, even if students are quite responsive to labor market conditions....

Many labor economists and other researchers have attempted to develop models of the workings of the market for college-trained manpower. This paper reviews this previous research on curriculum choice and then tests an alternative model with data on choices made by male baccalaureates across a...

Although it is commonly argued that unions need to innovate in order to grow and achieve success, little is known about the characteristics of unions that facilitate or hinder innovation. The authors of this study develop a model of union innovation and test it using data collected from many...

This study investigates the validity in Japan of union participation models developed in North America. The results of ordinary least squares analysis suggest that members' participation in unions is positively related to many of the same factors in Japan as in North America: for example, length...

This study develops and empirically tests a model of satisfaction with union representation using national data from the 1977 Quality of Employment Survey. Overall union satisfaction is specified as a function of union members' expectations concerning union efforts and the perceived outcomes of...

This paper examines the determinants of National Labor Relations Board certification election outcomes in individual election units between 1972 and 1980. Particular emphasis is given to the role of national union characteristics in determining union success or failure. The authors find that...

Analyzing data from the Union Image Survey (a 1984 Harris poll examining workers' attitudes toward various forms of employee organization), the authors compare the motives and characteristics of workers who expressed a desire to join an associate membership program with those of workers who...