THE UNION OF THE FUTURE - SUPER-UNIONS OR JOINT VENTURES

The article looks at effectiveness in union organization. Following Ch ild et al. (1973), it describes the necessary conditions for both admi nistrative and representative effectiveness. Administratively effectiv e unions focus on an organizable job territory, control costs and avoi d competition. Representative effectiveness is defined by the degree o f employer dependence, the balance of services and the degree of centr alization. We argue that the prevailing tendency for concentration thr ough merger often damages representative effectiveness while yielding few administrative benefits. The article concludes by offering a frame work for analysis of a range of co-operative relationships between uni ons which yield administrative benefits.