Defining A Political Instrumentality Model in a Non-Bargaining Environment
| Published date | 01 July 1993 |
| Date | 01 July 1993 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0734371X9301300308 |
| Author | Cheryl Swanson |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
85
A CASE STUDY
Defining
A
Political
Instrumentality
Model
in
a
Non-Bargaining
Environment
CHERYL SWANSON
This
study
identifies
political
strategies
and
conditions
relevant
to
achieving union
objectives
through
political
means.
A
"political
instrumentality
model"
is
identified
which
describes
six
elements
that
influenced
labor
success
in
a non-
bargaining
legal
environment
in
Austin,
Texas.
These
include:
(1)
building
a
media
campaign;
(2) favorable
political
climate;
(3)
use
of
coalition
tactics;
(4)
lack
of
management unity;
(5)
lack
of
management
credibility
with
city
council,
and
(6)
gainsharing.
ne
of
the
major
differences
between
public
and
private
sector
~ ~
labor
relations
is
the
extent
to
which
public
unions
engage
in
~
M
direct
political
activity
to
influence
wages,
hours,
and
other
terms
0
of
conditions
of
employment.
This
fact
is
one
of
the
reasons
why
public
sector
unions
were
historically
denied
collective
bargaining
rights
(Wellington
and
Winter, 1981).
This
study
uses
the
case
method
(Yin
1984)
to
describe
how
public
unions
develop
instruments
of
political
power
to
achieve
their
objectives
in
non-bargaining
legal
environments.
While
political
action
among
public
unions
is
not
news,
it
is
useful
to
identify
more
clearly
the
specific
strategies
and
conditions
that
contribute
to
the
achievement
of
union
objectives
through
political
means.
Toward
this
end,
the
activities
of
a
union
in
a
medium-sized
city
in
the
state
of
Texas
are
exam-
ined
and
a
&dquo;political
instrumentality
model&dquo;
1
(Fiorito,
1987)
is
identified
which
includes
the
following
strategies
and
conditions:
(1)
building
a
media
campaign;
(2)
favorable
political
climate;
(3)
use
of
coalition
tactics;
(4)
lack
of
management
unity;
(5)
lack
of
management
credibility
with
the
city
council,
and
(6)
gainsharing.~
2
Research
setting
In
1989
the
American
Federation
of
State,
County,
and
Municipal
Employees
(AFSCME)
Local
1624
participated
in
negotiations
with
the
city
of
Austin,
Texas,
over
the
structure
of
a
wage
and
fringe
benefits
package.
The
negotiations
took
place
in
a
state
where
bargaining
is
prohibited
by
law
among
To continue reading
Request your trial