Correlates of university faculty interest in unionization: A replication and extension

In an extension of the work of W. J. Bigoness and others, this study examined the relationship between the perceived need for a union and the following factors: age, salary level, perceived relationship between future performance and future salary adjustments, and perceived raise equity. Additionally, the relative importance of satisfaction with economic factors and intrinsic job attributes in accounting for the perceived need for a union was investigated using 220 university faculty members. As reported in other studies, the data revealed that age was inversely related to union attitudes. This relationship, however, was not significant when the effect of salary was controlled. Also, satisfaction with economic factors and the administration of extrinsic rewards accounted for more variance in the perceived need for a union than did overall job satisfaction and intrinsic job satisfaction. Instrumentality of job performance in determining future pay raises appeared more important than salary or raise equity in explaining union attitudes among Ss. (19 ref)