Race Differences in Motivations for Joining Unions: The Role of Prosocial Beliefs

Clayton Gumber and Irene Padavic

Social Science Quarterly, 2020, vol. 101, issue 2, 490-502

Abstract: Objective This article investigates whether a prosocial orientation—which stresses unions’ concern for all working people—might differentially influence whites’ and African Americans’ decisions to join unions. Methods Logistic regression using data from the 2005 AFL‐CIO Union Message Survey. Results African Americans’ odds of voting “yes” in a hypothetical union election are nearly two times greater than whites’ odds, and prosocial beliefs partially mediate this effect. Conclusion A model of unionism that seeks political goals beyond narrow workplace ones (i.e., that capitalizes on the prosocial orientation documented here) may increase unions’ success in attracting African‐American members, thereby improving African Americans' labor market experience and revitalizing the labor movement.

Date: 2020
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://doi.org/10.1111/ssqu.12772

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:bla:socsci:v:101:y:2020:i:2:p:490-502

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.blackwell ... bs.asp?ref=0038-4941

Access Statistics for this article

Social Science Quarterly is currently edited by Robert L. Lineberry

More articles in Social Science Quarterly from Southwestern Social Science Association
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Wiley Content Delivery ().