노동조합지도자 리더십 효과성

Union Leadership Effectiveness: Exploratory Study on Situational Theory of Union Leaders’ Militancy and Moderation

본 연구는 노동조합 지도자 리더십의 두 가지 이념적인 행위 양태인 전투성향(Militancy)과 온건성향(Moderation)이 조합원들의 노조활동참여의지(Willingness to participate in union activities)에 미치는 영향은 조합원들의 태도(경영진에 대한 대립의식, 노조에 대한 수단적 인식)와 노조지도자의 리더십 행위양태와의 적합성에 의존한다는 주장을 하고 있다. 이 같은 주장을 경영학에서 발전해온 기존 리더십 상황이론과 사회심리학의 동원(Mobilization)이론, 심리적 계약(Psychological Contracts)이론 등에 근거하여 학제적인 연구모델로 구현했다. 동원이론을 반영하는 심리태도 변수로 ‘경영진에 대한 배타적 대립의식(Them and Us Attitude)’, 노조와 조합원의 심리적 계약을 반영하는 변수로 ‘노조수단성인지정도 (Union Instrumentality)’를 도입했다. 그리고 한국노총산하 연합노련 조합원들의 설문자료를 대상으로 이 모델을 실증적으로 분석했다. 그 결과 조합원들의 태도성향이 실용적일수록(즉, ‘경영진에 대한 배타적 대립의식’이 낮고 ‘노조수단성 인지정도’가 높을수록) 온건성향의 노조지도자리더십의 효과성이 높고 그렇지 않을 경우엔 전투성향의 노조지도자리더십의 효과성이 높음을 발견했다. 이 결과는 조합원들을 대상으로 한 노조 지도자의 설득 과정(지도자의 이념 지향적 설득 → 조합원의 노조활동 참여의지 자극 → 조합원의 노조활동참여)의 효과성이 본 연구에서 상황적 요인으로 간주하고 있는 ‘조합원의 실용적 태도 정도’에 의해 영향을 받는다는 것을 의미한다

The purpose of this study is to extend leadership theory developed in the field of organization behavior to labour movement and explore the possibility of developing the situational leadership theory specific to Korean labor movement. Attention is given to the dyadic relationship between union leader and union members. This attempt is new and different from the past research in union militancy, a well-developed trend in the field of industrial relations. 4)37 Union leaders’ ideological behavior pattern is classified either as militancy or as moderation in this study. This classification originates from an enduring controversy surrounding whether the tendency of union moderation since the 1980s was socially desirable or not, especially as it is perceived in the eyes of trade unionists. Kelly(1986) argues that militant trade union, as opposed to moderate trade union, are more likely to secure union survival and recovery. Kelly’s rejection of union moderation was based on the argument that moderation inhibits the growth of union activity in the workplace by eroding the willingness and capacity of union members to resist employers. Other scholars in United States, however, argue union moderation can lead to a reduction in grievances, leading to mutual gains. They argue that union-management cooperation leads to less management retaliation, fewer grievances, less communication breakdown, less industrial conflicts, all of which are regarded as mutual gains. In Korea, this controversy has been heated since the year 1987 when labor unions were practically authorized under institutional settings. According to dyadic relationship from the previous leadership theory, this study assumes the union tendency either toward militancy or moderation would be influenced by or caused from union leadership patterns. This study argues that union leadership effectiveness depends on the situational factor such as pragmatic propensity of union members. To be effective, union leaders’ militancy or moderation has to retain favorable situation conditioned by the extent of employees’ pragmatism.