Aranżowanie ról w wywiadach kwestionariuszowych z działaczami związkowymi na terenie zakładu pracy

Abstract

The study presents some methodological experience obtained in the course of research on the function of the chapter of a labor union in art industrial plant. The basic method of research were scheduled interviews with the members of the plant's council and department’s councils. In view of the “official” subject-matter dealt with in the interviews, and to avoid stereotyped and propagandistic answers, it was decided to precede the main research by several months’ observation of the milieu studied. During' this period the author was familiarizing herself with labor union’s documents, collecting statistical data, participating in various meetings of the union. On this occasion she had an opportunity to know personally particular activists her future respondents. With time, relations between the researcher and her future respondents were becoming personal and informal; in this climate she was explaining the reason for her presence in the plant and the purpose of the research. In this phase the researcher made a number of free interviews on the functioning of the union, thus obtaining personal and private opinions. Observation furnished additional knowledge about the union’s organization and its members, as well as about the views and expectations prevailing in the community under study. Owing to the preparatory contacts, the majority of respondents knew the researcher beforehand so that her requests for an interview did not arouse any surprise and no refusals were encountered. Interviews were running in a friendly atmosphere; respondents were trying to be helpful, their answers being sincere and comprehensive. It is believed that, without the previous preparatory contacts, it would not be possible to get sincere and trustworthy answers about certain delicate problems connected with the functioning of the union; the respondents’ awareness that the researcher was familiar with their activities has also influenced positively their attitude towards interviews. In addition, it was possible to confront some opinions of respondents with the materials gathered by the researcher.