Summaries
Union strength and union influence in the Netherlands and Belgium
A. Geul, H. Slomp and L.B. van Snippenburg The paper introduces a distinction between the concepts of union strength and union influence. Union strength is defined as a combination of characteristics of the union movement. Union in fluence is the impact of unions on the social- economic situation, especially on conditions for employees. To determine the relation between union strength and union influence in the Nether lands and Belgium, changes in union strength are analyzed relative to changes in the proportion of Dutch and Belgian national product allotted to labour. The findings indicate that the economic situation is a central determinant of this propor tion in the Netherlands. In Belgium, political conditions are more important. The discussion of these findings leads to the conclusion that the policy of government, employers and unions is first of all a reaction to economic prospects in the Netherlands. In Belgium, the higher rate of organization makes unions behave more auto nomously,but related to government composition.
Participation in labor unions B. Klandermans
A taxonomy of participation in labor unions is developed. Participation in the organization is distinguished from participation in actions. Par ticipation in the organization is divided in: mem bership (joining, commitment, quitting), func tioning in the organization (active member, lay- official, paid official), participation in decision making (gathering information, attending mem bership meetings). Participation in union actions is differentiated in moderate and militant action and different roles to be fulfilled in union action. A review of the literature on these different forms
of participation confirms the multi-dimensionality of union participation. Different forms of partici pation vary independently and have different determinants. Three theoretical approaches are briefly discussed: frustration-agression, rational- choice, and interactionist theory. Frustration- agression theory find little empirical support. The latter two approaches appear to be more promising. Lacunas in the literature and methodo logical weaknesses of research on union partici pation are discussed. Recommendations for future research are formulated.
Union members and union democracy B. Hancké
Contrary to dominant thinking and research on union democracy, this article starts from possi bilities of democracy in unions. In the first part, three major theoretical problems regarding theory on union democracy are discussed and some theoretical solutions are considered. In the second part, the findings of empirical research in a Bel gian union branch are presented. The major con clusion of the article is that union members’ social consciousness plays a significant role in democracy processes within unions.
Quality of labour in the eighties B. Fruytier
In the eighties the improvement o f the quality of labour has become as well as the introduction of new technologies a major instrument of the mana gement for optimizing the efficiency and effec tiveness of their production organization.
In this article this thesis, that has considerably gained in expressiveness because of recent re
search by Kern and Schuman on new rationaliza tion strategies of management, is questioned. This is done by discussing some five questions assessing the quality of labour. These questions refer to the structural and permanent character of the improvement of the quality of labour, to its scope within sectors, branches and individual enterprises and to the ‘side effects’ of the new rationalization strategies of management.
Our final conclusions are not positive. These are certainly new rationalization strategies of manage ment. But on the one hand these are of a too recent date to pass final judgment.
On the other hand they refer only to a very small part of the working population. For a substantial group of workers there is no question of improve ment of the quality of labour at all.
Schoolleavers from junior vocational and junior general education on the labour- market
M.J. Meesters and M.G.K. Einerhand
Although general unemployment is decreasing in the Netherlands, youth unemployment remains relatively high, and the position of young people on the labour-market is still an important issue. This paper concentrates on low-educated youths: schoolleavers from junior secondary education, with or without a certificate.
Three main conclusions are drawn. The first con clusion is that schoolsuccess has a short term as well as a long term effect on the labourmarket position of young schoolleavers. The second con clusion is that the start on the labourmarket is of utmost importance for the further labourmarket career.
A third conclusion is that this start on the labour- market is influenced by the social background of the schoolleavers. Especially the distinction be tween workirig and non-working parents is im portant. The much discussed gap between the working ( ‘rich’) and non-working ( ‘poor’) popu lation is apparently passed on to new generations, which implies that the unemployed population can be seen as a social class.
Promotion of part-time work: a current state of affairs
L. Delsen
The main factor behind the growth of part-time work is the increase in the labour market partici pation rate for women. On the level of society part-time work contributes to the redistribution of work and may favour emancipation. The main advantages of part-time work for the firm are the higher flexibility and the reduction of costs. The advantages of part-time work for the worker arise mainly outside work, in more leisure. The dis advantages for the worker, which impede the working on a part-time basis, are situated in socie ty, in the firm and in the work itself. These con cern the part-time work unfriendly social security system, the absence of a policy of part-time em ployment, working conditions and the low skill level of part-time jobs offered.
Unknown, unloved. Firms as well as full-time workers over-estimate the disadvantages and under-estimate the advantages. Case-studies show that where part-time work is introduced, the out come is positive. In order to promote part-time work, information on the costs and benefits is needed. But information alone is insufficient. A policy on firm level, known to all, is essential to remove the existing opposition. An experiment recently carried out to promote part-time work in the Dutch Province of Limburg shows that the provision of information and organisational sup port provides for the wants of the employers and the employees. Contrary to financial support the organisational support showed to be a clear incen tive for the introduction of part-time work and the development of a policy of part-time work on the firm level.
Equality between full-time and part-time work is needed. Not only on the level of the firm, but also in the legal working conditions and the social security system. Until now these are mainly oriented toward the full-time worker. The impe diments can be removed by paying extra atten tion to part-time work in collective labour agree ments, the social security system, the labour law, etc.
The government can act as a pioneer in this. The legal recognition of the right to part-time work by the government will have its impact on the above mentioned fields by which the acceptance of part-time work is promoted.
