Violation of the Psychological Contract and the Development of Unions and Strikes: The Defense of the Individual's Employment Rights

Kay Payne
Joseph Cangemi
Peter Kohler
Harold Fuqua

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DOI: 10.2190/MAXV-JWY0-TVCM-2LJ2

Abstract

The psychological contract involves an implicit agreement between an employer and an employee that expects the two parties to treat one another fairly. Employers expect workers to accomplish tasks in an honest, timely manner, among other things. Employees expect the company to provide fair treatment in an environment of open communication. When either side breaks the psychological contract, reactions tend to become even more important than those reactions emerging from broken legal contracts. When employees experience a culture of unfulfilled needs they become fertile ground for union organizers. As unions become enculturated within the environment of a company, increased pressure on management to provide for the needs of employees exist. If management refuses to accommodate those needs strikes may occur. The whole process of unionization damages relationships within the organization, but strikes escalate the damage. When management maintains a corporate culture that exhibits a basic consideration for employee self-esteem, quality of work life, high trust, and open communication, the propensity for unionization weakens.

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