Craft unions and wage policy : high wage increases, perceived justice and organizational consequences

Abstract

"In recent years, German craft unions have negotiated to an increasing degree independently from classical trade unions. Due to their homogeneous membership and their assertiveness they were able to achieve high salary increases for specific professional groups they organize. In reaction to this development, employers' associations and trade unions predicted societal problems and negative organizational consequences. Within the context of organizational justice theory, this paper examines empirically whether and under what circumstances high salary increases for specific professional groups are perceived as unfair and if they have negative consequences. Based on an own survey, the study shows that approximately 31 % of the respondents from these branches assess the salary increases as unfair. About a quarter of the respondents, who are not trade union members, report that these salary increases have reduced work related motivation and that internal social relations have deteriorated. Although the perceptions of justice as well as the organizational consequences can be influenced through several aspects of distributive and procedural justice, an overall trend towards diminishing solidarity between employee groups can be identified." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Cite article

Dütsch, M., Gückelhorn, C., Stephan, G. & Struck, O. (2014): Hohe Gehaltssteigerungen durch Berufsgewerkschaften. Gerechtigkeitsbewertungen und Folgewirkungen. In: Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie, Vol. 66, No. 4, p. 517-548. DOI:10.1007/s11577-014-0285-2