This study examines the multi-dimensionality of organizational commitment: aective, normative and continuance (including the sub-components of low perceived alternatives and high personal sacri®ce), and how these are dierentially related to a set of antecedents and consequences (i.e. turnover intentions, absenteeism and acceptance of change). The results, based on a sample of 505 Australian male ®re-®ghters, indicate that organizational commitment is best represented by the four-factors of aective, normative, low perceived alternatives and high personal sacri®ce. In addition, employees experience dierent personal, job-related and environmental causes of commitment depending on whether they feel they want to, ought to, or need to remain with the organization. Further, not all facets of commitment enhanced organizational eectiveness, with aective being the most bene®cial (i.e. employees are less likely to leave, be absent and are more accepting of change) and low perceived alternatives being the most detrimental (i.e. less accepting of change). The implications of these ®ndings for the management of desirable forms of commitment are discussed.

The interests of organizations and unions are often seen to be in competition. However, the union-voice hypothesis suggests that unions can provide a distinctive mechanism to lower organizational costs by reducing exit behavior. This study looks at union citizenship behavior as a form of voice and examines its effect on employee absence. It draws on data from 367 branches of a large unionized banking organization to explore both the antecedents and outcomes of union citizenship behavior. Union citizenship behavior directed toward helping fellow members with workplace grievances was found to reduce branch-level absenteeism, while union loyalty mediated the impact of a number of union-related variables on union citizenship behavior. The implications for a balanced union-management relationship are discussed in the article.

Drawing on mobilization theory, this article seeks to identify the factors that shape the willingness of union members to take industrial action. The study utilized data from a large-scale survey ("N =" 1,111) carried out in a financial services union during the renegotiation of a collective bargaining contract. The results suggested that individuals were more willing to engage in industrial action when they experienced a sense of injustice or unfairness in the employment relationship and when they held a collectivist orientation to work. Moreover, their propensity to take industrial action was greater when they considered that their union was an effective instrument of power. Workplace representatives were also important, particularly when they were seen as being responsive to their members' needs in situations of perceived injustice. The implications for mobilization theory and for union strategy are discussed. Copyright (c) Blackwell Publishing Ltd/London School of Economics 2008.

where she teaches Strategic Management and Organization Change and Development.With a background in trade unions and education, her academic interests include qualitative research methods, trade unions, union strategy and behaviour, union values, organizing approaches and mobilization, union renewal, changes to work and work intensification. She is currently involved in collaborative research which examines the organizing methods of home-based workers in the informal sector.

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate employee reports of workplace bullying in which participants argue that poor management of bullying led to a range of health problems, both physical and mental.Design/methodology/approachA constructivist approach is adopted to develop an understanding of individual experiences of bullying. Qualitative research interviews are used as the method of data collection and focus is on individual participants as the unit of analysis. Data are analyzed using thematic analysis in which both deductive and inductive themes are developed.FindingsFindings suggest that lack of or poor workplace bullying policies impacts are used negatively on employee health. Specifically, analysis of employee reports suggest that the inability to successfully report bullying, or have bullying complaints taken seriously leads to ongoing implications for the individual.Research implicationsFuture research needs to focus further on examining reasons why some organizations do not develop and implement anti‐bullying policies, as well as further investigate the characteristics of bullying cultures so that effective interventions can be developed and health issues associated with bullying minimized.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to workplace health practice by providing insight into the risks that poor bullying management can have on the health of employees. It is proposed that such consequences could lead to an increase in litigations in the event that employees demonstrate that organizations have not provided a duty of care. Finally, the paper argues that organizations that do not attempt to prevent bullying may inadvertently contribute to the long‐term development of organizational cultures that tolerate harassment and abuse.