THE EFFECT OF NORMATIVE INFLUENCE ON UNION LOYALTY - A REGIONAL COMPARISON

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between normative influence and union loyalty for two separate locals of a national tire and rubber manufacturing company in the United States. Parallel hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted. The data support the hypothesized positive relationship between normative influence and union loyalty in each sample. The greater the normative influence, the greater the union loyalty. The findings suggest that Knoke's (1990) normity conformity and affective bonding models are applicable to normative influence in the union context. In addition, unions should identify and develop both the socialization process and effective agents of union socialization. The need for cross-cultural comparisons are discussed.