It comes as no surprise to find that the affects of an industrial strike are tough on union members. During periods of strike, the negative psychological and social affects on strikers are often reported by media and through personal communication with strikers and their families. However, it appears that engaging in higher levels of union activity during times of strike may help to avoid or at least minimize these negative affects.
Dr Jane Fowler (an industrial-organisational psychologist who is a Senior Lecturer at Griffith University and Adjunct Professor of West Virginia University) examined the psychological impact on members of the United Steelworkers of America (USW) while on strike. She compared two groups of steelworkers – both working in the steel manufacturing industry in the south-eastern region of Ohio, USA – and found that ‘strikers’ reported higher levels of depression, anxiety, and irritation and lower levels of general mental health than ‘non-strikers’. This is not surprising when you think about the changes that occur for members during strike (e.g., financial concerns, changing relationships and roles, and uncertainty about outcomes).
However, Dr Fowler also found that strikers who were more involved with the Union during the strike (e.g., on picket line duty, raising public awareness, administrative work at the Union hall) were not as negatively affected as those who were less involved. In fact, the more a member was involved in the Union’s activities, the lower was their level of depression and anxiety and the higher was their level of general mental health.
It is possible that the benefits found to be associated with employment (beyond remuneration) come into play for union members on strike. That is, members who are union active while on strike benefit from the combination of regular activity, daily structure, social contact with other members, and a sense of being part of a collective. If the benefits of normal work activities are gained through alternative activities while on strike, then psychological well-being may not be negatively affected.
So what does this mean for unions and their members?
Anti-unionists might say that if strike action has such negative affects on the psychological well-being of workers then it should not be taken. This view is naïve. In some cases, as it was for the USW who were defending retirees’ rights to health benefits, strike action was seen as the only effective and legitimate means of making organizational change.
There are, however, several mechanisms that unions can put in place to avoid or at least minimize the negative affects of strike. Dr Fowler suggests: • when possible, advise members to prepare (e.g., financially and psychologically) for a possible strike • prepare members and their families for possible psychological changes during periods of industrial action • provide advice for them to deal with these changes • provide instrumental support in terms of financial advice and psychological assistance • involve an industrial-organisational psychologist who is available to an extent that it ‘normalises’ seeking such assistance • increase participation (via encouragement, expectation, or requirement) of members during strike • actively work on establishing and reinforcing these values, experiences, and characteristics in their members.
Dr Jane Fowler is an Industrial-Organisational Psychologist, a Senior Lecturer at Griffith University in Queensland, Australia, and an Adjunct Professor of West Virginia University, WV, USA. Contact her if you would like more information about this research at j.fowler@griffith.edu.au or phone +61 7 33821396.