The influence of cooperative programs on union-management relations,flexibility, and other labor relations outcomes

There has been considerable interest recently in joint union-management committees as a means of promoting union-management cooperation. At the same time, many unionized firms have been experimenting with quality of worklife and other workplace-level programs aimed at the average employee in the bargaining unit. Survey data were obtained concerning firms’ actual experiences with these programs with regard to union officer-management relations, grievances and the ability to resolve them informally, labor flexibility, absenteeism, and turnover. There is no indication that the workplace-level programs impede union-management cooperation. Instead, they generally have positive effects on the union-management relations outcomes examined, although those effects generally are smaller than those of the joint committees.