Peering into the black hole: The downside of the new employment relations in the UK

Using a national sample of 1,000 employees, this paper examines the proposi tion that those working in so-called 'black hole' organizations (i.e. where there is neither a set of progressive HRM practices nor a recognized trade union) will report more negative attitudes and work experiences than those in settings where there is either HRM, a trade union presence or both. The results lend some support to this hypothesis with respect to job satisfact ion and organizational commitment and in judgements about experiences of fa irness of treatment and trust in management. However, the most negative vie ws about employment relations are reported by those who belong to a union i n workplaces with little HRM. The findings indicate that it is HRM practice s rather than trade union membership that have the major impact on attitude s and experiences. Even in black hole organizations some employees report s atisfaction. This can be largely explained by a positive psychological cont ract between individual and organization. The implications for the role of trade unions in the promotion of fairness at work are discussed.