23B : equal Opptunities & Trade UnionsUnions Flashcards
What are the 5 Maine uk employment legislations
• Equal Pay Act 1970 : Ruled that both sexes should be treated equally in terms of pay and other employment issues
• Sex Discrimination Act 1975: Made discrimination on grounds of sex or marital status illegal in all aspects of working life
• Race Relations Act 1976: Made discrimination on grounds of colour, race or nationality in terms of employment illegal
• Disability Discrimination Act 1995: Ruled that employers must treat a disabled person equally as others unless good reason
• Working Time Regulations 1998: EU legislation that set a limit on maximum number of hours (48 hours) employees should be required to work in a week. Employees can choose to work more hours if they wish.
What businesses are most affected by an increase in minimum wage
• Small businesses who find it harder to cope with increases in costs
• Businesses which employ large number of low skilled workers
- Examples:
- Catering
- Hotels
- Leisure businesses
What are some advantages of equal opportunities for a business
• Better trained workforce
• Better motivation of staff : chances of promotion are equal
• Staff turnover should be lower : workers are happy in company
Reduction in recruitment costs : staff are not leaving!
• More flexible workforce : can respond to changes
Better reputation amongst staff and customers
What are the disadvantages of equal opportunities for a business
• Training costs are expensive
• extra facility costs e.g. Wheel chair ramps
• recruitmen and selection training procedures may need to be changed
Why may there be some conflicts with employer and employees
• Rates of pay : employers want to keep wage costs down
employees and trade unions want rage rises
• Introduction of machinery : Employees may not wish to leam new skills
New machinery may cause job losses
• Flexible working : 24 hour shift to cope with increased work load
Employees may be unwilling to work at night
• Working conditions : Employees want better canteen facilities
Employers see this as an un-necessary cost
( Therefore, the need for INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS between employer and employee groups )
What do trade unions provide
• They negotiate with employers over conditions of work, pay, hours of work, holidays and safety.
• They give legal protection : advice about unfair dismissal.
• Provide monetary protection - strike pay, mortgages, loans
Why do people join trade unions
•REPRESENTATION : Trade union members represent those who face redundancy or disciplinary procedures
• NEGOTIATIONS ON PAY AND WORKING CONDITIONS : collective bargaining” not “individual bargaining”
• ENSURE HIGH STANDARDS OF HEALTH AND SAFETY : make sure workers are kept safe and given safety equipment
• UNIONS SUPPORT EQUAL OPPORTUNTIES : Helps eliminate discrimination at work (age, race, disability, religion, sexual orientation)
What are the benefits of union membership
To an employee:
• More powerful voice when bargaining as a group (e.g. for pay rises) as can threaten industrial action such as strikes
• Workers will have their individual rights better protected e.g. if dismissed unfairly or discriminated against
To an employer:
• Cheaper and quicker to bargain with one trade union representative than individual workers
• Workers are better motivated if they feel their interests are being looked after by trade unions
• Helps ensure that agreements are complied with by workers
- what is decided is actually carried out
• Unions are able to take a longer term view than individuals
- stops the business being uncompetitive in the long term
What is collective bargaining
• when one trade union representative negotiates with employers on behalf of all workers belonging go that trade union
What are the advantages of collective bargaining
• Employers:
- Gives stability for at least a year
- Increases co-operation with the unions
- Gives opportunity to discuss any problems, avoids conflicts
• Employees:
- Trade unions have much more power than individual employees.
- Trained, highly skilled negotiators
What are the disadvantages of collective bargainin
• Employers:
- Gives great pewer te the unions
- Reduces Managers choices
- Can increase labour costs
- May reduce workers motivation
What forms of industrial action are there
• Employees can:
- Strike : official or unofficial
- Work to rule : only performing job description tasks
- Sit-in : occupy the premises
- Go slow : reduce productivity
• Employers can:
- Overtime ban : reduce worker earnings & flexitime
- Lock-out of premises : close factory for a time
- Changing standards & piecework rates
- Closure of factory & machinery : remove machinery
- Hiring workers : recruit non union staff
- Use of courts : challenge rights of unions & claim damages
What are the factors that influence the success of employees industrial action
• nature and strength of the union : large unions have the greatest influence over management
• Location and organization of the workforce : more influence if workers are employed at the same site
• legislation : laws restricting actions of a trade union
What are some problems of industrial action for employers and employees
• Employers problems :
- Lost production : reduced output, revenue & profits fall
- Delay In production and late deliveries :reputation of firms is Damaged
- poor future relationships within the business: poor motivation and communication
• employees problems :
- Less of earnings
- Prolonged industrial action : factory may close ,loss of job
- Public support may fall
What are the benefits of inclustrail action
• Can lead to clearer new rules that both workers and management agree
•Position of management and workers are made very clear and understood
• If dispute is resolved could improve industrial relations in the long term
What is acas
acas is how the government resolves industrial disputes and they offer three services :
• Conciliation : act as an indepediant communicator between parties
• mediation : where they propose settlement but parties do not have to accept it
• arbitration : A CAs listens to suggestions on both sides then makes a decision
