Measuring attitudes toward grievance systems: A procedural justice perspective applied to the workplace

Contractual grievance procedures have long been utilized in union-management relationships to resolve workplace disputes. Little research attention, however, has focused on determining unionized workers' perceptions of and attitudes about such procedures. This study develops an instrument designed to measure worker attitudes toward the grievance procedure (ATGP). The survey items and conceptual framework are based on prior research in the areas of administrative and procedural justice. Employing a national sample (N=1080) from a single union, the results support a multidimensional attitudinal measure. Four key dimensions of workers' assessment of the grievance procedure were found: (i) Fairness, (ii) Effectiveness, (iii) Representation, and (iv) Importance. The structure of the measure was stable across identified sub-groups in the sample. Some differences in the attitudinal assessment on the four dimensions emerged depending upon union office holding and the grievance-filing experience of the respondents. Last, potential future applications of the instrument are discussed.