Trade Union Amalgamations: Patterns and Procedures

Elias, Patrick

doi:10.1093/ilj/2.1.125

Cited by 9 publications

(6 citation statements)

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“…Similarly, throughout the period 1892-1987 acquisitions and formations by merger were completed without reference to the legal requirements. This was particularly the case prior to 1940, when the legal requirements inhibited merger activity (Cole 1915: 205-58;Elias 1973). 3.…”

Section: Acknowledgementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Raising Trade Union Membership Concentration, 1892–1987: The Relative Effects of Mergers and Membership Change

Waddington

1994

Brit J Industrial Rel

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A number of recent studies measure trade union membership concentration using the Herfindah1 index. This study uses the same measure to examine the relative effects of the different factors that influenced the level of British union membership concentration between 1892 and 1987. Five factors are identi!d as influencing this development: mergers, formations, dissolutions, breaka ways, and membership change. Marked occupational differences in the relative effect of these factors are shown. In aggregate terms, mergers and membership change tend to be complementary in effect until 1946 and counteractive thereafter.

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Section: Acknowledgementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Raising Trade Union Membership Concentration, 1892–1987: The Relative Effects of Mergers and Membership Change

Waddington

1994

Brit J Industrial Rel

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“…In Equation 5 the reverse is the case, suggesting a relationship between other economic influences and the number of manufacturing company mergers, the former influencing the latter which, in turn, promotes merger activity. As Elias (1973), Buchanan (1974 and and Undyetal(1981) suggest, the easing of the legislative requirements for merger by the 1917 and 1964 Acts promote the rate at which union mergers are ratified. Repressive legislation is shown to inhibit merger activity during the growth and development of national collective bargaining, while the variable was not entered for the operation of institutionalised collective bargaining.…”

Section: Integrated Explanations Of Merger Intensitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Trade Union Mergers: A Study of Trade Union Structural Dynamics

Waddington¹

1988

Brit J Industrial Rel

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The study of trade union structure has rested upon the taxonomic differentiation of unions into structural types. Descriptively these taxonomies reflect the origins and historical development of many unions rather than the structural forms currently exhibited. Analytically, their usage places emphasis upon stasis within trade union structure to the relative exclusion of the dynamics inherent within trade union development. Waddington (1987) examined structural dynamics by means of the study of trade union structural events: formations, mergers, dissolutions and breakaways. This paper focuses upon merger activity, with the twofold objective of elaborating a framework within which structural dynamics can be analysed, and establishing those environmental factors which influence merger activity.Trade union mergers are one of the means whereby trade union structure develops. Two divergent approaches have been adopted for the study of trade union mergers both of which are limited in allowing for the establishment of an explanation of trade union merger activity. Buchanan (1974 and presents data illustrating the aggregate pattern of merger activity. Factors explaining this pattern are advanced by reference to the coincidence between peaks in merger activity and environmental indicators. This coincidence does not, of course, necessarily imply causality, nor does Buchanan's explanation incorporate an analysis of the changing complex of inter-relationships existing among the factors that influence merger activity. For example, the historical developments in the institutional form of trade unionism imply a changing character to the merger process and, hence, brings into question the uniformity of the impact of the environmental factors. Additionally, no reference is made to other trade union structural events and how these might impinge upon merger activity.A second approach relies upon the analysis of particular merger case studies to identify those factors that influence mergers, and to differentiate between types of merger (for example, Hughes, 1967:15-23 and Undy et al., 1981:167-219). In order to move towards an overall explanation of mergers such an approach relies on the assumption that the selected case studies are indicative of all mergers. The case study approach also limits any assessment *Lecturer, Industrial Relations Unit, University of Keele. 410 British Journal of Industrial Relations of the historical development of trade union structure and the changing nature of the processes underlying this development.While both these approaches provide useful material for the study of trade union mergers they are analytically distinct. The purpose of this paper is to provide an explanatory framework for the study of trade union mergers. My earlier research shows that such a framework provides a basis to the understanding of trade union structural dynamics and the selection of merger case studies by means of which internal union political factors influencing structural development can be historically located. The centr...

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“…Both Simpson (1972) and Elias (1973) point to the provisions of the 1964 Trade Union (Amalgamation) Act as one of the reasons for the growth of union mergers in the United Kingdom in the 1960s. This legislation replaced very restrictive provisions on mergers with the sole requirement that a simple majority of union members who participate in a merger referendum was sufficient to sanction the merger.…”

Section: The Merger Processmentioning

confidence: 99%

One Union Peak Council: the Merger of ACSPA and CAGEO with the ACTU

Griffin

Giuca²

1986

Journal of Industrial Relations

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The possibility of a merger between the ACTU and the white-collar peak councils was first raised publicly in 1969. By 1981, the Australian Council of Salaried and Professional Associations (ACSPA) and the Council of Australian Government Employee Organisations (CAGEO) has disbanded and most of their former members had affiliated to the ACTU. A number of factors, such as converging policies, the changing nature of white-collar unionists and, after 1975, a hostile federal government, pointed to the logic of unification. Despite these influences, however, the merger discussions virtually halted in the mid-1970s. The ultimate success of these discussions is largely attributable to the attitudes and actions ofsenior ASPCA officials and their belief in the concept of one peak council for all trade unions.

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Trade Union Amalgamations: Patterns and Procedures

Cited by 9 publications

References 0 publications

Raising Trade Union Membership Concentration, 1892–1987: The Relative Effects of Mergers and Membership Change

Raising Trade Union Membership Concentration, 1892–1987: The Relative Effects of Mergers and Membership Change

Trade Union Mergers: A Study of Trade Union Structural Dynamics

One Union Peak Council: the Merger of ACSPA and CAGEO with the ACTU

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