Clyde Scott

The effect of gender on arbitration decisions

The effect of grievant’s and arbitrator’s gender on arbitration decisions is investigated using 169 arbitration cases fromLabor Arbitration Awards. Three hypotheses were tested: (1) arbitrators treat female grievants less severely than male grievants; (2) female arbitrators render less severe judgments than their male counterparts; and (3) arbitrator’s gender and grievant’s gender interact so that female arbitrators will treat female grievants more favorably than male arbitrators and male arbitrators will treat male grievants more favorably than female arbitrators. The empirical findings supported none of these hypotheses and the authors conclude that the arbitration process is free of gender bias.

An analysis of multi-union elections involving incumbent unions

This article investigates the extent and outcomes of multi-union elections involving incumbent unions between 1974 and 1986. During this 13 year period a total of 1423 raid elections (an average of 109 per year) were conducted. The data reveal that the number of raid elections is declining and that unions, as opposed to no-union, continue to be victorious in the majority of cases, although there is considerable regional, industrial, union, and bargaining unit size variance in union victory rates.

An empirical analysis of union election outcomes in the electric utility industry

Unions in the electric utility industry consistently won a greater percentage of elections between 1970 and 1989 than did unions in other industries. Several factors significantly affected union victory rates at electric utilities: when the election was held, the union involved, the size of the utility, the percent of the state’s labor force unionized, the number of eligible voters, whether the election involved multiple-unions, and whether the election was Regional- or Board-directed.

Raid Elections: Another Problems for Unions?

One of the problems confronting the American labor movement is the raid election. In a raid election an outside, or challenger, union attempts to increase its membership at the expense of an incumbent union. This article examines the extent and outcomes of raid elections as well as the legal environment of such elections. In addition, the results of a survey of employers involved in raid elections are presented.

Public Sector Collective Bargaining Agreements: How Readable are They?

This article assesses the readability of a representative cross-section of public sector collective bargaining agreements. The purpose is to determine how easily public sector union members and officers and first-line supervisors can understand the contracts which affect their working lives. Three clauses (seniority, discipline, and grievance) were analyzed from each of the forty-nine agreements chosen for this study. The readability level of each clause was measured using three commonly accepted readability formulas. The results show that the reading comprehension skills of at least a college graduate are required to understand these clauses easily.

Union election activity in the health care industry

The health care industry in the United States has undergone many changes in recent years. One problem facing employers in this industry is the threat of unionization. The article examines union election activity since 1980 in hospitals, nursing homes, and other types of health care employers. Variance in the union victory rate was found over time and across the different sectors of the industry, types of employees involved, union involved, and sizes of the bargaining unit. The effects of geographic location and type of ownership are investigated. Decertification elections are also examined.

Union election activity in the hospital industry.

In the past five years, there has been a dramatic decrease in the number of representation elections in the hospital industry. Once a union is in place, however, decertification is less likely to occur than in other industries.

Determinants of union election outcomes in the non-hospital health care industry

Our research examines union election activity in the non-hospital health care industry over a 12-year period and shows that unions in this industry consistently win a greater percentage of their elections than their counterparts in either the hospital segment of the industry or other industries. Furthermore, the results indicate that several factors, primarily organizational characteristics, significantly affect the union victory rate.

Determinants of Certification Election Outcomes in the Service Sector

Our research examines union certification election activity in the service sector over a fourteen-year period and shows that unions in this sector consistently win a greater percentage of their elections than their counterparts in the goods-producing sector. Only a small percentage of the service sector workers select representation, however. Furthermore, the results support our model of election outcome determinants that in cludes environmental, bargaining unit, and organizational influences.