Diversity and the union - The effect of demographic dissimilarity on members' union attachment

Using a random sample of 1,475 nonexempt workers, we explore the potential spillover effects of demographic dissimilarity on two key elements of members' union attachment, namely, union commitment and instrumentality. Consistent with similarity-attraction theory, our findings indicate that gender dissimilarity has a significant negative effect on union attachment. However, inconsistent with the findings of earlier studies focusing on dissimilarity and organizational attachment, our results indicate that increased dissimilarity along other demographic dimensions may actually be associated with somewhat higher levels of union attachment, and that the effects of dissimilarity are not necessarily asymmetrical for majority and minority members of work groups.