Determinants of public sector certification election outcomes: Evidence from Ohio

Determinants of the outcomes of a sample of union certification elections c onducted by Ohio's State Employment Relations Board (SERB) were assessed. I n spite of the high union success rate, results generally conformed to expe ctations based on experience with National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ele ctions, with notable exceptions. Little vote loss was observed from petitio n to election, and delay had no significant effects on outcomes. Still, man agement consultants were prevalent and significantly reduced union success. New light was shed on the relationship between unit size and election outc omes. A new variable, measuring outcomes of the unit determination process, was incorporated with significant results.