| A major objective of this research was to begin to examine how variation in the functioning of local partnership councils can impact the various stakeholders including employees, the local union, customers, and the agency. Specifically this dissertation addresses two research questions: Does the implementation of the partnership process vary across locations and over time? What effects, if any does this variation in the implementation of the partnership have on overall organizational performance, on employee attitudes, perceptions and behaviors, and on the local union?; This research focused on one agency in the federal sector and used a mix of quantitative and qualitative data to assess the effects of joint labor-management participation on several key stakeholders. Specifically, the presence of local partnership councils was associated with improved perceptions of employee involvement in decisions, training, and spirit of collaboration. These intermediary outcomes were each in turn associated with improvements in job satisfaction and lower levels of perceived alienation. Offline partnership councils had a direct impact, over and above the effects of the intermediary outcomes, on improving perceptions of job and employment security and lowering feelings of alienation. Differences in partnership council functioning and structure were associated with differences in employee outcomes. Who served on the councils, particularly the presence of senior management and union leadership was positively associated with improvements in supervisor-employee relations, employee-involvement, and training. Councils that meet at least monthly and councils that discussed a broad range of traditional and non-traditional topics had a significant and positive effect on each of the four intermediary outcomes and on perceived levels of employment security.; The empirical results on organizational performance and customer satisfaction were somewhat mixed. When combined with the available anecdotal evidence, however, the partnership process appears to improve customer satisfaction and enhance overall organizational performance. Finally, the qualitative interviews with local union leaders suggest the role of the union and union leadership has significantly changed with the introduction of partnership. |
