"This essay presents a framework for decision making by labor union leaders facing critical choices regarding the survival of their organizations. I argue that labor union leaders must place decisions regarding all aspects of their union life—from big picture concerns regarding political action, organizing opportunities, and collective bargaining to day-to-day issues regarding hiring of staff, resolution of contract disputes, and the amount of time and money spent on activities—into a framework that asks how those decisions will impact the union's strength on two dimensions: external leverage and internal organizational capacity. After explaining the central features of this "strategic choice" framework, I apply it to a wide variety of cases of union decision making to illustrate its application and importance in setting and evaluating chosen strategies."

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