Understanding Union Representation at the Local Level: Perceived Roles and Resources Mobilized by Local Union Leaders in Two Business Sectors in Quebec
In the current context of workplace transformation, this study examines local union representation and, more specifically, the roles assumed by local union presidents and vice-presidents. Taking into account the interaction between the representative, who interprets his role and maintains a vision and personal objectives in the face of his duties, and the sector and environment in which he operates, which presents him with particular problems and controls the resources at his disposal, this research analyzes how the perceived roles of local union leaders influence how they mobilize the resources available to them in assuming their representational functions. Based on empirical qualitative research conducted with twenty-nine local leaders operating in the telecommunications (15) and hotel (14) sectors in Quebec, our results show that these leaders perceive themselves as occupying a variety of roles—linked both to organizational and relational dimensions—that not only influence their propensity to mobilize certain union resources, but will also guide how these resources will be used. By entering into a variety of contexts and adopting an approach that recognizes the coexistence of multiple roles within a single leader, this study also highlights the significant leeway local leaders have in interpreting their roles, as well as the effect of the sectoral and union environments in which they operate, which partly constrain their scope of action. It should be noted, however, that while both these environments have an influence on the respondents’ perceptions of their roles, the analysis suggests that they do not have an overriding effect on the appropriation of roles at the local level, since union leaders in the same sector and of the same union affiliation will not necessarily prioritize the same roles in the performance of their duties.