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Race Differences in Motivations for Joining Unions: The Role of Prosocial Beliefs
Author(s) -
Gumber Clayton,
Padavic Irene
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
social science quarterly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.482
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1540-6237
pISSN - 0038-4941
DOI - 10.1111/ssqu.12772
Subject(s) - prosocial behavior , odds , race (biology) , voting , social psychology , biology and political orientation , logistic regression , politics , psychology , labor union , african american , survey data collection , demographic economics , political science , sociology , labour economics , gender studies , economics , medicine , law , ethnology , statistics , mathematics
Objective This article investigates whether a prosocial orientation—which stresses unions’ concern for all working people—might differentially influence whites’ and African Americans’ decisions to join unions. Methods Logistic regression using data from the 2005 AFL‐CIO Union Message Survey. Results African Americans’ odds of voting “yes” in a hypothetical union election are nearly two times greater than whites’ odds, and prosocial beliefs partially mediate this effect. Conclusion A model of unionism that seeks political goals beyond narrow workplace ones (i.e., that capitalizes on the prosocial orientation documented here) may increase unions’ success in attracting African‐American members, thereby improving African Americans' labor market experience and revitalizing the labor movement.