A REEXAMINATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN UNION MEMBERSHIP AND JOB-SATISFACTION

Two seemingly contradictory findings reported in the recent industrial relations literature are that union members are less satisfied with t heir jobs than are nonmembers and yet are less inclined to leave their jobs. Because those results are based on several national probability samples, the authors argue that they may result from a sampling metho dology that confounds union membership with working conditions. In thi s study, in contrast, which uses data from 1980 and 1986 on union memb ers and nonmembers in three bargaining units in which union membership was not required, it is possible to control for working conditions wh en examining the effect of union membership on job satisfaction. The r esults across all three samples indicate no effect of union membership on either job satisfaction or the intent to quit.