Journal of Co-operative Studies 55(2), 7-19

Abstract

Labour conflicts erupting between co-operative organisations and unions continue to defy our theoretical expectations. We ask, why did an agricultural co-operative, which had enjoyed a relatively harmonious relationship with its labour union, adopt corporate labour management practices that led to a 22 month-long lockout? We use a case study of the lockout to examine the conflict through a neoinstitutional organisation theory framework where we conclude that noncongruent isometric pressures allowed the co-operative to conform to corporate management practices.

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