TITLE Oligarchy and Democracy: A Study of the Political Life of a Local Union

ii The theory still used to explain the political life of democrat-ically structured organizations stems primarily from Robert Michels' "iron law of oligarchy " which holds that all organizations must inevitably be controlled by small well organized groups. Lipset, Trow and Coleman have modified this theory by showing that some voluntary groups develop a system of competing slates or parties because of certain organizational features, but they admit this is a rarity. Despite widespread acceptance of this theory of oligarchy there has accumulated much evidence to show that in many large trade union locals a system of slates or parties which compete for political power is the rule rather than the exception. This study of Local 1005 of the Steelworkers, located in Hamilton Ontario, an organization which has had slates for many years, is an attempt to explore once again the socia