Correlates of Local Union Officers' Satisfaction

Abstract

Three models of satisfaction with the national union were tested by regression analysis on a sample of 139 elected local union officers. The first model (expectations-performance) hypothesized satisfaction to be a function of expectations of union performance and perceived performance on three dimensions, wages and benefits, quality of worklife, and member-union relations. The second model (discrepancy) considered satisfaction to be a function of the difference between expectations and performance on these three dimensions. The third model (instrumentality) hypothesized satisfaction as a function of union beliefs and demographic variables in addition to the expectations and perceived performance measures. The expectations-performance and discrepancy models accounted for less variance in satisfaction than the instrumentality model. Satisfaction with the national union was related to union strength and quality of leadership. These findings indicate that the theoretical conceptualization and correlates of satisfaction with the national union differ from models of satisfaction with the local union.