The Attitudinal Effects of Gender Mix in Union Committees

Abstract

This study examines the impact of the gender mix of union committees in Israel on the attitudes and perceptions of committee members. The author finds that both male and female members of committees with a male majority were more likely than members of committees with a female majority to believe that men have greater leadership skills than women and that women are elected primarily to represent women rather than all workers. Also, in neither type of committee were men perceived to represent only men or did women rate their influence equal to that of men.