Transformational Leadership in Labor Organizations: The Effects on Union Citizenship Behaviors Nicholas W. Twigg & J. Bryan Fuller & Kim Hester Published online: 24 November 2007 # Springer Science + Business Media, LLC 2007 Abstract This study suggests that transformational leadership influences union citizenship behavior by fostering a covenantal relationship between the union and the union member. A framework for covenantal relationships is developed from social exchange and social identity theories. Transformational leadership behavior was found to be strongly related to perceived union support, a social exchange construct. The results also indicated that there are positive and significant relation- ships between other social exchange constructs such as felt obligation and trust. Social identity theory is used to augment social exchange theory in explaining the process by which transformational leadership behaviors relate to union citizenship behaviors through union-based self-esteem. Limitations of the study, implications for union management, and directions for future research issues are discussed. Keywords Transformational leadership . Labor organizations . Union citizenship Introduction Although there are occasions when high levels of participation by union local members may make democracy more difficult for union leaders to manage, high levels of participation may also raise the quality of decisions, inject a sense of mission in the union membership, and generate excitement and meaning for participants. According to Sayles and Strauss (1953) “participation is more than J Labor Res (2008) 29:27–41 DOI 10.1007/s12122-007-9039-5 N. W. Twigg (*) Coastal Carolina University, Conway, SC, USA e-mail: ntwigg@coastal.edu J. B. Fuller Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA, USA K. Hester Arkansas State University, State University, AR, USA