A Model of Union Membership: Instrumentality, Commitment, and Opposition

Abstract

Eight specific types of union members are identified and described. Four of these member types were developed based on an interactive relationship between union instrumentality and union commitment. The other four types were based on interactions between negative views of union ideology and union instrumentality. A theoretical model of the eight member types was used to synthesize the literature on union membership. Implications that the model has for research and for union growth and participation are discussed.