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Union Activism in an Inclusive System of Industrial Relations: Evidence from a Spanish Case Study
Author(s) -
Jódar Pere,
Vidal Sergi,
Alós Ramon
Publication year - 2011
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/j.1467-8543.2010.00815.x
Subject(s) - collectivism , industrial relations , trade union , context (archaeology) , individualism , collective bargaining , incentive , collective action , relevance (law) , empirical evidence , political science , industrial action , economic system , labour economics , sociology , economics , market economy , geography , law , philosophy , archaeology , epistemology , politics
In this article we analyse the reasons for active trade union participation within the context of Spanish industrial relations. Spain represents a particularly interesting case as the unions' main activity, collective bargaining, is considered a public good. The present study is based on a representative survey of one region of the ‘Worker Commissions’ trade union and provides empirical evidence that union presence in the workplace has a significant influence on members' propensity for activism. Union presence in the workplace enhances collectivism and builds incentive for action in inclusive systems of industrial relations. By contrast, individualistic orientations and instrumental motives are of little relevance in the Spanish industrial relations context.