Concentration Trends in Union Structure: An International Comparison

Abstract

The structure of unionism in nine Western countries became on the whole more concentrated during the two decades 1957–58 to 1977–78, as indicated by a reduction in the number of national unions affiliated with major federations and an increase in the relative size of the largest unions. The reasons for the trend, which has implications for the internal life of unions and for collective bargaining, are linked to the efforts of unions to adapt their structure to changes in the environments in which they operate, often reinforced by pro-merger pressures from the central labor federations. The trend toward greater concentration may be expected to continue, especially in countries in which the major trade union federations are still composed of substantial numbers of affiliated unions.

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