Union commitment: Conceptual changes in the German context

Abstract

Abstract This study examined the concept of union commitment in a German sample utilizing research predominantly developed and tested in Anglo‐American countries (U.S.A., Canada, South Africa). Due to cultural and structural differences in the context of German unions it was assumed that the structure and level of commitment should also be different from those in the countries tested and that the instrument may have to be adjusted. Gordon and Ladd's Union Commitment scale was translated and tested on 194 West‐German trade union members. Five major structural differences between German, Canadian, U.S.‐American and South African unions were identified. Those are, for example, in Germany closed‐shop agreements are forbidden, a high degree of centralization exists, the existence and form of labor courts and legally binding participation, the influence of workers council and the well protected situation of German workers. The data were factor‐analyzed and revealed four factors. A comparison of the item structures showed that the German sample put a much stronger emphasis on the factor 1:Union Instrumentalityand less emphasis on factor 4:Union Loyaltythan the previously examined samples where union loyalty always emerged as the strongest factor. The other factors were identified as: factor 2:Prounion Behavioral Intentionsand factor 3:Union Trust.The results are discussed in relation to structural differences that may have led to findings in the German sample.

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