Activities and Power of Workplace Representatives on the Railway : a Comparative Study, 1979-1980

<p>Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.</p>The research replicates a study of the activities and power of workplace union representatives already completed in the coal industry. The objectives of the study on the railway are as follows:<br> 1. Firstly, to test further the methodology for the comparative analysis of workplace power developed in the coal study.<br> 2. Using this methodology to identify the range and amount of power of Local Departmental Committee representatives (managers and 'shop stewards') over workplace activity.<br> 3. To compare their activities and power with that of local NUM representatives in the coal industry.<br> 4. To compare the activities and power of the NUR Local Departmental Committee (LDC) representatives with those of ASLEF LDC representatives.<br> 5. To identify the structural, economic and attitudinal factors related to their activities and their power in order to explore further the relationships identified in the coal industry study.<B>Main Topics</B>:<br> Variables<br> The data consists of a set of secondary variables created from a number of primary data sets:-<br> (1) Measures of power derived from a decision analysis.<br> (2) Measures of size, <i>performance</i>, industrial action from <i>background</i> data collected for each location.<br> (3) A questionnaire on attitudes to work, union and the LDC., etc., sent to a sample of ordinary railmen (i.e. not LDC representatives).<br> (4) Questionnaires sent to all LDC representatives on their role, relationships, attitudes, etc.<br> (5) A questionnaire handed to a spokesman representative from each LDC concerning role, relationships, attitudes, etc.<br> (6) A questionnaire handed to management chairman of LDCs concerning role, relationships, attitudes, etc<br> (7) An interview schedule administered to the management chairman and LDC spokesman about their involvement and influence in decision making.<br> Measurement Scales<br> For measurements of power, see Edwards, C.Y., 'Measuring union power: a comparison of two methods applied to the study of local union power in the coal industry', <i>British Journal of Industrial Relations</i> V. 16 (1) 1978 and Edwards, C.Y., 'Power and decision making in the workplace: a study in the coal mining industry', <i>Industrial Relations Journal</i> V. 14 (1) 198