An attitudinal revolution in Irish industrial relations: The end of 'them and us'?

Daryl D'Art, Thomas Turner

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Intensified international competition and high unemployment have characterized many Western economies since 1980. A firm's survival in such an environment demands a flexible and co-operative work-force, a requirement incompatible with traditional adversarial industrial relations. Drawing on a survey of employees in nine unionized companies in the Irish manufacturing sector, this paper examines the effect of these changes in the economy and workplace in facilitating a significant reduction in 'them and us' attitudes and an associated weakening of union structure and influence in the workplace. We found no evidence of a reduction in 'them and us' attitudes, but a cohesive and influential union was associated with less intense 'them and us' attitudes.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)101-116
Number of pages16
JournalBritish Journal of Industrial Relations
Volume37
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Mar 1999

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