From Union Identity to Union Voting: An Assessment of the 1996 Election

Abstract

An important but remarkably under analyzed labor studies subject is the relationship between union identity and union member voting behav ior. The dominant political theory in America holds that pluralism gen erates overlapping and crosscutting interests that militate against the for mation of a dominant political orientation. However, it is the thesis of this work that once subjected to intense union political education and lobby ing, workers would strongly identify with their dues paying status and were more likely subsequently, to cast a union/class-based vote. Based on post-1996 presidential election surveys of union members in Illinois the following study addresses the subject of union members' political atti tudes and voting behavior and serves to extend an underdeveloped field of scholarship by presenting empirical research on the relationship be tween union political education, political orientation and union member voting behavior.