The study was an investigation into the motives, policies and practices of the
Virginia Governmental Employees Association and the motivations, needs and
desires of its membership. This was undertaken to determine the major forces
which have prevented change in the operating practices or structure of the
association.
The research questions examined factors unique to the VGEA: the climate for
public sector unionism in the state, the membership's needs and desires, and
the practices and policies set forth by the VGEA. These areas represent the
external environment, the perceptions of the membership, and the internal
environment of the VGEA. A random sampling of the membership by survey
was conducted to investigate the factors. Internal documents of the association
were scrutinized in order to determine the factors that were specific to the
association.
Both qualitative and quantitative data was incorporated in the analysis. The
study utilized empirical research into unions and associations, a descriptive
study of the VGEA itself, and an analysis of the membership's responses to the
survey instrument.
The analysis concludes by identifying those factors most prevalent in preventing
the association from becoming a union. The lack of collective bargaining, the
prohibition of striking and right-to-work laws are major factors in the external
environment. Internally, the past practices of the association, its reliance upon
lobbying and its lack of political action all prevent change from occurring. The
membership is not reflective of state employees overall, and the association
continues to work only for the needs of its membership.
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