Adapting Internal Administrative Practices of American Unions to External Challenges: A Longitudinal Study

Abstract

This paper reports selected preliminary results from the third wave of a longitudinal study of the administrative practices of U.S.-based national and international unions. Surveys conducted in 1990, 2000, and 2010 gathered information on the financial, strategic planning, and organizational practices of American unions. The results of the 2010 survey regarding hiring and human resource practices are reported here. These results are also compared with the findings of the two earlier studies. The findings reaffirm the emergence of union staff work as a “profession,” something first identified in our 2000 study. The 2010 survey also found a clear continuation of the trend toward greater formalization and standardization of human resource policies found in previous surveys.