The Mediating Effect Of Union Instrumentality On The Relationship Between Rural-Migrant-Workers’ Union Practices And Union Commitment

China has experienced substantial amount of industrialization and urbanization in recent years. These changes were supported by a growing amount of rural-migrant-workers(nong-min-gong), who usually work in small-medium size manufacturing industry, medium-large size construction industry and the service industry. The industrial –workers who usually work in relatively more stable industries such as large-scale manufacturing industry, the mining industry and the transportation industry. In contrast to industrial-workers, China’s rural-migrant-workers lack in the standard for education and living, life insurance, and stability in living and working environment. They need trade unions, which makes the study of migrant workers union practices seem particularly necessary.Based on the literature, we proposed a model of rural-migrant-workers union practices influence on union commitment. We also propose that union instrumentality should have a mediating effect on the mentioned relationship. To test the model, we conducted a survey on rural-migrant-workers working in non-public sectors. The results of this research found that five dimensions of rural-migrant-workers union practices(legal rights protection practices, management participation practices, training and developmental practices, life-insurance practices and societal-care practices) had positive relationships with union commitment. Amongst these five dimensions, the effect of legal rights protection practices, life-insurance practices and societal-care practices had stronger effects on union commitment. In addition, we also found that union instrumentality had a mediating effect on the relationship between rural-migrant-workers union practices and union commitment. Nevertheless, we did not manage to find a significant relationship between the management and organization dimension of rural-migrant-workers union practices and union commitment.Through discussion and analysis of these issues, Theoretically, we built a theoretical model of rural-migrant-workers union practices and union commitment based on the literature, and we tested the model on a group of Chinese rural-migrant-workers. The findings of this study provide a new perspective for future research. Empirically, the findings of this research could be used as a basis for future rural-migrant-workers’ unions development to contribute to the welfare of the Chinese rural-migrant-workers and to contribute to the stability of the Chinese society.