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Grievance initiation: A literature survey and suggestions for future research

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Abstract

The correlates of grievance initiation are described within the context of categories of relevant factors suggested by the literature. The categories include environmental, management, union, union-management interaction, and employee factors. In the environmental category, the literature indicates that technology effects provide substantial promise for the explanation of grievances. Several important correlates of grievance activity are described in each of the other categories. Suggested methodological improvements for future research include expanded sets of control variables, multiple industry data sets, greater attention to grievance types, and the use of causal analytical techniques in longitudinal studies. Future research should provide a better understanding of the effects of several variables, including technology, methods of grievance resolution, workgroup cohesion, and fair representation requirements. It should also identify relationships that are specific to different issues.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Oklahoma State University, 74078, Stillwater, OK

    Chalmer E. Labig & Charles R. Greer

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  1. Chalmer E. Labig
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  2. Charles R. Greer
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The authors wish to acknowledge the assistance of Jack Fiorito, I. B. Helburn, Tim Keaveny, R. Dennis Middlemist, Robert C. Rodgers, and anonymous reviewers.

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Labig, C.E., Greer, C.R. Grievance initiation: A literature survey and suggestions for future research. Journal of Labor Research 9, 1–27 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02685226

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