Psychological Contract Breach and Union Commitment Revisited: Evidence from Chinese Employees

Abstract

From the social exchange theory, this study examines the relationship between psychological contract breach, organizational cynicism, and union commitment, as well as the interaction effect of perceived union dual identity on the relationship between organizational cynicism and union commitment. We argue that contract breach has a positive impact on union commitment, and this relationship is mediated by organizational cynicism. Moreover, we suggest that the perceived union dual identity moderates the relationship between the two. To examine this, we sampled 371 employees of Chinese non-state-owned firms in 2019. The results show that, in the Chinese context, the psychological contract breach has a positive impact on organizational cynicism and union commitment. This relationship is weaker when the perceived union identity (state-oriented) is higher; it is stronger when the perceived union identity (labor-oriented) is higher.