In interpreting the findings, it is important to recall what is meant, in this article,
by union cooperation. It means only that a union presence is conducive to the employers’
agenda, without any implication that unions or their members embrace that
agenda. Cooperation can take place reluctantly or through a calculative tradeoff by
unions/employees, rather than from commitment. They may for instance view employers’
flexible labour practices and their HPWS practices with reserve, if they interpret
the former as weakening their bargaining power while the latter increases work intensity.
Yet it is also possible that unions/employees are genuinely won over to these
policies. For instance, the majority of employees at a workplace may see partial
outsourcing as a way of strengthening their own economic position, while HPWS may
be seen as fostering personal development and opportunities for direct participation.
Until more evidence is available it is better to reserve judgement on these points of
interpretation.