A study of the interindustry propensity to strike

Includes bibliographical references (pages 42-44)In Chapter I the collective bargaining process is defined as a continuing negotiation process between the employer and the union. The union is described as a decisional unit. As a consequence of the union's decisional nature, it is pointed out that the union has to decide whether to strike for a higher wage, when the collective bargaining process reaches an impasse. It is this industrial dispute that this paper is attempting to measure in order to prove that pattern bargaining exists between industries with certain key industries such as steel leading the pattern. In Chapter II, the review of the literature supplies us with a number of suggested determinants of strike activity, and Chapter II describes the variables pertinent to the model developed in this study. Chapter IV provides an explanation of the data problems, while the last chapter provides the implications, the test, the results, and the findings. As suggested the labor market, the product market, union strength, product concentration, and dummy pattern bargaining variables all offer variables with significant t values using regression analysis. For example, the pattern bargaining variable for steel shifts the yearly strike pattern upward for manufacturing industries. Because of this pattern shift, there are more strikes, more workers involved in strikes, and more mandays idle. These findings confirm the hypothesis that pattern bargaining exists with key industries such as steel leading the pattern and contributing to an increase in strike activity.M.A. (Master of Arts