PROFESSIONALISM AND UNIONISM: THE CASE OF FACULTY UNIONS IN ISRAELI UNIVERSITIES

MICHAEL I. HARRISON AND EPHRAIM TABORY


DOI: 10.2190/FF9A-N3TE-9CRP-KK3Y

Abstract

Studies of unionism among salaried professionals have centered on the assumed conflict between the professional and union principles of organization. Participant observation of the functioning of faculty unions in Israeli universities indicates that even in a society in which white collar unionism is highly institutionalized and militant, pervasive professionalism may lead to the emergence of weak union structures, which deviate considerably from the ideal typical model of trade unionism. Such "non-unionate" organizations pose only of minimal threat to professionalism. In such a societal context, unionism appears to be in the service of professional values, and the dangers to a profession of creating too weak a union structure would seem to be no less than those deriving from thorough-going trade unionism.

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