Dual Commitment Among Unionized Faculty: A Longitudinal Investigation

Abstract

This study investigated changes in union, organizational, and dual commitment among 267 faculty of a public university in the U.S. over a 6.5-month period (from the beginning of contract negotiations to contract settlement). Specifically, it was hypothesized that labor-management relationship climate, union involvement, perceived pay equity, and the implementation of a multi-tier salary plan would differentially affect faculty members' commitment levels. In addition, three established methods of measuring dual commitment were utilized to assess their convergent validity. Results indicated that organizational commitment and, in some cases, dual commitment increased over the time period. Further, the correlational and classification methods of measuring dual commitment detected changes in commitment, while Angle and Perry's (1986) five-item dual commitment scale was found to have questionable reliability and validity. Theoretical, methodological, and practical implications of the study's findings were discussed.