WORK ALIENATION AND PROBLEM ALCOHOL BEHAVIOR

Using a sample of production workers from union, nonunion, producer co operative, and employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) wood products mill s in the Northwest, we test the general proposition that work alientat ion, defined as low job autonomy, low use of capacities, and lack of p articipation in decision-making in the workplace, is associated with h eavy drinking and negative consequences from drinking. We find that th e general proposition is supported, but that the pathways tend to be i ndirect rather than direct, mediated by feelings of job satisfaction a nd respondents' beliefs about the utility of drinking as a means of co ping.