Hardman, Jill (1984) Women in the union. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

This thesis is concerned with the position of women at work and in trade unions. The study focusses on a large electrical engineering company employing mainly women workers and examines how they fared in relation to the union at workplace and branch level.

Developing an understanding of the problems the women workers faced through detailed study of the employer's production strategies, it becomes clear that these issues do not appear in the collective bargaining framework. Despite the women's numerical superiority, the grievance procedure at higher levels was dominated by the male workers' problems and formal agreements consistently reflected their interests over and above those of the women. Most of the key positions in the local organisation were held by men and male workers were over-represented in the shop steward system.

Arguments are advanced to explain this which go beyond the usual explanations of women's distinctive (and historically sustained) patterns of union representation and involvement. Reconsidering the industrial relations orthodoxy, it is proposed that inequalities in bargaining strength and resources of men and women workers may be reinforced by the process and distributive effects of collective bargaining.

This is shown through detailed empirical study of members' problems and responses and shop stewards' grievance handling on the shop floor. Disputes involving men and women workers are examined and the way negotiations were developed and concluded on issues such as pay, discipline, and movement of labour are analysed.
The conclusion is reached that collective bargaining has implications which are significant not only for the position of women workers in the workplace and union, but the shape and responsiveness of the institution's representational and bargaining structures as a whole.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Woman
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Women in the labor movement -- Great Britain, Women's rights -- Great Britain, Women -- Employment -- Great Britain
Official Date:	April 1984
Dates:	Date Event April 1984 UNSPECIFIED
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Warwick Business School
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Format of File:	pdf
Extent:	2 volumes : charts
Language:	eng

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