Building More Effective Unions

By Paul F. Clark

Book Overview

Employers have long turned to behavioral science for guidance on making their organizations more effective. Labor scholar Paul F. Clark believes union leaders should also take advantage of the valuable discoveries made in this field, and he offers a straightforward account of how they can do so.

Much of the behavioral science research relevant to unions relies on complex statistical analyses and is disseminated through scholarly journals. This clearly written book makes the findings of behavioral science accessible to those committed to building a stronger labor movement. It describes behavioral science's understanding of such topics as organizational commitment and member participation and suggests how this knowledge can best be applied to unions.

Building More Effective Unions offers practical strategies unions can use to their advantage in a number of areas, including:
-Union participation
-Organization and retention
-Union orientation and socialization
-Political action
-Grievance procedures
-Information and communications
-Union image-building
-Union culture
-Union leadership

The book features examples of how unions and their leaders have benefited from putting the principles of behavioral science into practice.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0801475198
• ISBN13: 9780801475191
• Release Date: March 2009
• Publisher: Cornell University Press
• Length: 230 Pages
• Weight: 1.27 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.9" x 9.8"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

A great book for any elected union official (or a candidate seeking to become a union official.)

This book takes a clear look at effectiveness of unions from soup to nuts... from priorities in organizing non-union employees to focusing on priorities once a union is in place. It contains frank and pragmatic discussion and themes that I believe would be useful for union leaders in making the most of whatever circumstances in which they find themselves.

Clear, concise and well-researched

This text can be equally helpful in the field as well as the classroom. Dr. Clark's expertise and research in union building shows through in his logical and clear methods.

This union was effectively built

A smart and savvy look at the way unions can help in managing our lives. Dr. Clark adds a touch of class to the usual ho-hum union research books. This one is a keeper and one that every student in labor studies and industrial relations should keep on their bedside for moments of clarity in which unionization becomes the clear answer in their lives.