2.7 (HL-Only)

Question 1

Labour disruptions

Answer 1

such as a strike, can have a massive effect on an organization and connected businesses who depends on a specific industry/organization.

Question 2

how does conflict affect a business

Answer 2

greatly lowers morale and productivity

Question 3

HR management

Answer 3

need to understand cultural and ethical influences in their jobs or a company may face external backlash (bad press, lawsuits, etc.)

Question 4

Industrial Dispute

Answer 4

a disagreement between an employer and its employees, often represented by a Trade Union, over some part of the terms and conditions of employment.

Question 5

Trade Union

Answer 5

organizations of workers established to protect and improve the economic conditions of union members

Question 6

Needs and Wants (sources of conflict)

Answer 6

when these are ignored, conflict occurs. For example, rates of pay to work ratio

Question 7

Perceptions (sources of conflict)

Answer 7

People interpret things differently. Misunderstanding leads to conflict.
Example, reasons for a major change

Question 8

Values & Power (sources of conflict)

Answer 8

different beliefs of power in the workplace can cause conflict. For examples, a female boss discipline a male worker who has negative thoughts on women

Question 9

Feelings & Emotions (sources of conflict)

Answer 9

when personal and professional life cross and conflict occurs.
Example: dating & gossip in workforce

Question 10

Common objectives of Employees

Answer 10

1. Increase of pay or prevention of pay cut
2. Improved remuneration (fringe benefits, paid holidays, etc)
3. Better working terms and conditions
4. Training and development opportunities
5. Better-quality facilities

Question 11

common objectives Employers (company management/leadership)

Answer 11

1. Freeze wages or lower them during hard times to cut costs
2. Maintain the status quo within legal boundaries
3. Get as much out of staff as legally possible
4. Keep training costs at a minimum
5. Utilize fixed capital/assets as long as possible

Question 12

What do these conflicts cause?

Answer 12

Hinders productivity
Reduces Staff Morale
Causes inappropriate conduct
Fuels internal politics
Hampers opportunities for collaborative teams
Affects customer service and sales

Question 13

Industrial/ Employee Relation Methods Used by Employees

Answer 13

Steps
1. Collective Bargaining (Employees group up and negotiate as one to solve an issue)
2. Work-to-rule (Do the minimum amount of work as stated in a contract)
3. Strike Action (Employees stop working altogether. Often only done with union backing and after a vote.)

Question 14

Industrial/ Employee Relation methods used by Employers

Answer 14

1. Collective Bargaining (Negotiations with employees on a set deadline. Sometimes done by managers, other times negotiators are brought in)
2. Changes of Contract (To legally change contracts of employees in order to meet the demands or end employment)
3. Threat of Redundancies
   (Employers may look into moving or automating certain divisions or an entire facility.)
4. Lock-Outs/ Closures (Employers don’t allow their workers to do their job, so they don’t get paid. Or, they simply close the location._

Question 15

Concilation

Answer 15

parties involved in a dispute to use the services of an independent mediator. The mediator meets with the parties separately to resolve the dispute. Negotiation and compromise are encouraged and the final resolution is done in writing so that it is legally binding

Question 16

Arbitration

Answer 16

An outside person is also used to resolve conflicts. However, it is different than conciliation as this independent arbitrator acts like a judge to decide on an appropriate outcome. THey examine the arguments of both sides before making a final decision or recommendation. then they have a final decision becomes legally binding

Question 17

Employee Participation and Industrial Democracy

Answer 17

Employees are given tasks and are involved in decision making within the organization.

When done, this has been shown in studies to increase productivity and staff morale.

Question 18

No-Strike Agreements

Answer 18

Members of a union agree in advance to not striking if there is a labour dispute with the employer. This is done to improve the image of a union in the eyes of the public and is common in areas that highly affect the general public (teaching, law enforcement, etc.)

Question 19

Single-union Agreements

Answer 19

Occurs when an organization agrees to participate in the negotiation process with a sole labour union that represents the workers. This is done to cause fewer disruptions to the employer as their is less time lost to dealing with multiple unions within an organization.