Unions, Worker Voice, and Management Practices: Implications for a High-Productivity, High-Wage Economy

This article uses the metaphor of a social contract to review the evolution of American unions and their effects— especially in the variations in their quality—on firm employment strategies and performance, takes stock of the current state of unions and alternative forms of worker voice that have em...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:RSF : Russell Sage Foundation journal of the social sciences 2019-12, Vol.5 (5), p.88-108
Main Authors: Kochan, Thomas A., Kimball, William T.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
collective bargaining
labor law
Part II. Making Work Pay: The Fair Labor Standards Act, Unions, and Firm Compensation Policy
productivity
unions
voice
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Summary:This article uses the metaphor of a social contract to review the evolution of American unions and their effects— especially in the variations in their quality—on firm employment strategies and performance, takes stock of the current state of unions and alternative forms of worker voice that have emerged in recent years, and discusses implications for the future of labor and employment policies. The key policy implication is that fundamental, not incremental, changes in labor policy will be needed if the range of worker voice and representation processes workers want and the economy needs are to grow to a scale large enough to close existing voice gaps and contribute to building a new productivity- and wage-enhancing social contract.
ISSN:2377-8253
2377-8261
DOI:10.7758/RSF.2019.5.5.05