2.6 Employer Relations

Question 1

Collective bargaining

Answer 1

The process where pay and conditions of work are settled by negotiations between employers and employees.

Question 2

Employee relations methods used by employees

Answer 2

Collective bargaining - workers are unlikely to be able to negotiate with large firms on an individual level
Go-slows (slowdowns) - working at the minimum pace that their contract allows
Work to rule - doing the minimum that is allowed while still following the rules and regulations of the firm
Overtime bans - refusing to work beyond contracted hours
Strike action - refusal to work

Question 3

Employee relations methods used by employers

Answer 3

Collective bargaining - negotiation
Threat of redundancies - intimidation to encourage compliance
Changes of contract - change terms of conditions when contracts renew
Closure - usually only used when unions reject the final offer of a business
Lock outs - temporarily stopping workers from working during industrial action e.g. MLB, NHL, NFL, NBA

Question 4

Conflict

Answer 4

A situation of friction of mutually exclusive goals between two or more parties, such as employers and employees

Question 5

Conflict Resolution

Answer 5

Refers to the course of action taken to resolve conflict. It is successful if it leads to a satisfactory outcome for all sides.

Question 6

According to Kotter there are four main reason to change in the workforce

Answer 6

Self interest over organisational objectives
Low tolerance of change/uncertainty
Misinformation/misunderstanding
Different assessments of the situation and merits of change

Question 7

Labour Unions

Answer 7

An organization formed by workers in order to negotiate for better workers’ rights, including better pay, safer working conditions, and better benefits