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Large Non‐Union Companies: How Do They Avoid a Catch 22?
Author(s) -
Flood Patrick C.,
Toner Bill
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
british journal of industrial relations
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.665
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1467-8543
pISSN - 0007-1080
DOI - 10.1111/1467-8543.00051
Subject(s) - flexibility (engineering) , work (physics) , wage , business , industrial organization , electronics , economic system , labour economics , economics , management , engineering , electrical engineering , mechanical engineering
Large non‐union companies might be expected to enjoy extensive work‐force flexibility deriving from their high‐wage, high‐involvement strategies. However, where there is a strong local union presence, this might be expected to exert a strong dampening effect on the levels of internal flexibility achieved. Such companies, fearful of union organization, could not then enjoy the freedoms that might be associated with a non‐union strategy. Research conducted in the Republic of Ireland on large non‐union US companies operating in the electronics industry suggests a conceptual framework indicating how a Catch‐22 situation is avoided in these companies.