WORKPLACE DELEGATES AND WORKER POWER

In a survey of 2500 workplace union delegates in eight unions we examined the power of workers at the local, workplace level. We found local member power to be significantly related to a number of factors associated with the organising agenda. Local power was stronger where: unions were democratically organised; delegates were confident, active, had clear roles and had strong networks of support at the workplace and with the union office, particularly through the organiser; unions promoted common identity through inclusive policies than took seriously women's issues; the employer (and the delegates' supervisor) were supportive of the union delegate's role; and where job security was not declining. Training indirectly helped strengthen local power. Employer-related factors were only one eighth as important as union-related factors. The employment relationship involves two direct parties: the employee and employer. The employer is typically a collective of capital – individual capitalists (shareholders) pool their resources to create a corporation with substantial resources but limited liability. The nature of the employment relationship is one of imbalance in power between the individual employee and corporation. This arises from the differential level of resources available to employee an