Recent research shows that income inequality and racial discrimination negatively impact health outcomes. This study builds on this theme of injustice by investigating the potential association between workplace fairness and employee outcomes. We present preliminary results from an on-going nationwide survey of over 200 telecommunication worker union officials. First, the data suggest that officials believed that certain worker characteristics (e.g. being female, gay, speaking with an accent) are likely to influence an employee’s outcome when faced with a citation from their employer. However, the perceptions of these outcomes differ by respondent characteristics. For example, while 22% of white union officials believed that being a racial minority would help a worker who violated management policy, none of the minority officials reported that being a person of color would influence the outcome positively. Second, few union officials feel that workers are treated fairly. Fewer than 25% reported that management often/always treated their employees fairly. Additionally, workplaces with higher percentages of minorities are less likely to rate their management as being fair. Third, multivariate models indicate that perceptions of workplace fairness influence employee outcomes. Controlling for workplace norms of drug use, job stress and other respondent and workplace characteristics, the data suggest that workplaces where management does not treat their employees fairly have lower job satisfaction, lower worker morale, and a higher prevalence of workers using prescription drugs in response to stress.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this presentation, participants will be able to: 1. Describe some of the working conditions of telecommunications workers. 2. Discuss the relationship between fairness and special populations (e.g. race, sexual orientation, gender). 3. Articulate the relationship between work stress, fairness, and substance abuse
Keywords: Occupational Health, Special Populations
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.