Jennifer Newman: The psychological reasons why people join unions

Managers need to understand the underlying reasons why their employees may want to form a union, says workplace psychologist Jennifer Newman.

Newman sat down with The Early Edition host Rick Cluff to explain why people feel the need to form unions.

Rick Cluff:  Is it simply about more money?

Well unions are set up by workers to advance their interests. When in place, they work to protect workers' rights and represent them in dealing with employers. They've been credited for improvements in working conditions, wages and benefits.

Sometimes workers join unions because the organization is already unionized. Staff also join because they make a decision to do so. And, there can be psychological reasons for the decision.

When workers decide to join a union, how is that a psychological decision?

Some of the time it's not psychological in the strictest sense. Staff will weigh up the costs and benefits to being part of a union. They may see it as a way to get better wages or benefits. So they look at the pros and cons, and then make the best decision having looked at it from all sides. But, when staff choose to unionize for psychological reasons, it usually has to do with the relationship they have with the employer.

For example there was a worker who felt unfairly treated at work. He was in trouble for an error.

The supervisor held the worker responsible for the error. But, the worker thought the fault should be shared with his co-workers, who were also part of the project. So, he started to wonder if the organization needed a union.

It seems organizations that don't seem to care are more likely to have staff who want to unionize?

Psychologically, staff would like to feel their employer cares about their well-being, and that the boss cares about each staff person. If staff feel like a number or something that can be discarded, or they don't feel like the organization is concerned about them, then they feel less loyal and less committed.

For example a worker really liked her boss. She noticed her boss asked her about how her day was going, and the boss would remember what she had said about her family. She felt cared about and this included her family. So if workers feel good about their employer they don't tend to see the need for a union.

What's another psychological reason as to why employees want to unionize?

There's another important aspect to the psychological decision to join a union, and that has to do with how much staff identify with their employer. Workers who feel they belong, and experience a fit between their personal values and the company's values, then they will feel like they belong. They are less likely to feel like they have to unionize. These people are pretty resilient, and can handle situations when they would've liked a "thank you", or the fact that they are passed over for a project or promotion they wanted.

So, maybe the adage: "An organization gets the union they deserve", is true?

Psychologically speaking a good relationship with employees is good for staff and the organization. Staff make decisions about whether to unionize based on how they feel about their employer, and how much they identify with their employer's values.

Whether an organization has a union or not, it's important to value staff's contribution. Treat workers with care and concern, be fair, and be an organization staff are proud to belong to.

This interview has been edited and condensed

With files from CBC's The Early Edition

To hear the full interview listen to the audio labelled: Workplace psychologist Jennifer Newman explains when and why workers feel the need to unionize