Abstract
This study aims to examine the factors which influence the attitudes to Labor Unions Activity in Japanese workers. Preceding studies about participation to Labor Union can be classified roughly into two: one argues structural factors, and the other discusses factors which affect to workers' attitudes. In the latter, many studies have mainly put importance on dissatisfaction (e.g. about labor environment or treatment). In contrast, this study considers the situation of one's recognition about work and of their daily work. Specifically, it confirms that variables about Cooperativity or about Understanding of Organization’s Objective have effect on attitudes to Labor Unions activity. In those analyses, the possibility of the participation which is not based on instrumental purpose is examined.
The salient findings from quantitative analyses can be seen as the following : (1) Understanding about Social Meaning of Labor Union is affected by Recognition of Objectives of Company, and Sense of Pleasure about Group Activity is affected by Sense of Cooperation with others. (2) Not only Understanding about Social Meaning of Labor Union but also Sense of Pleasure about Group Activity have positive effects on attitudes to Labor Union. Especially, the latter relation is stronger than the former relation. (3) About above-referenced relations --i.e. (1) and (2) --, there are hardly differences which are due to gender or generations. Based on these result, I insist that it is also necessary for Cooperativity--which has seldom been considered very much until now -- to be discussed in the study of Labor Union.
