The Impact of Union Membership on Intent to Leave: Additional Evidence on the Voice Face of Unions

Abstract

The impact of union membership on employees’ intent to leave their jobs was examined to test the effect of unions’ “voice” face. Regression analyses showed a significant, negative relationship between union membership and employees’ intent to leave. In addition, the data revealed significant interactions between union membership and job satisfaction and between union membership and organizational commitment. Dissatisfied nonunion members are much more likely to intend to leave their jobs than are union members. Similarly, nonunion members with low organizational commitment are much more likely to intend to leave their jobs than are union members. Both of these results support the conclusion that union membership reduces employees’ intention to leave their jobs, and provides evidence that the voice face of unions matter.

Keywords: unions, satisfaction, commitment, intention to leave

JEL Classification: M1