Ch 10 - Labour Relations and collective bargaining

Question 1

What are labour relations?

What is an union and its pupose?

Answer 1

Labour relations: interactions between management and unions in organizations

Union: officially recognized association of employees in the same company or industry

Its purpose: present an united front and a collective voice in dealing with management

Question 2

What do the provincial and federal labour legislations have in common?

Answer 2

• RIght of people to join unions
• requirement that employers recognize a certified union as the rightful and exclusive bargaining agent for that group of employees
• identification of unfair labour practices
• right of unions to strike and right of employers to lock out workers

Question 3

Why do employees unionize ?

Answer 3

• Desire to improve pay, benefits and working conditions (most important)
• Dissatisfaction with managerial practices/supervisors (they are unfair)
• Social and status concerns (employees in needs of status and recognition)

*** Note: once a union exists, employees may join b/c it is a condition for employment (in collective agreement), i.e. union shop

Question 4

What is the labour relations process?

Answer 4

1. Employees want collective representation
2. Union organizers or employees begin the organizing campaign
3. Collective negotiations lead to a collective agreement (Collective bargaining)
4. collective agreement is administered

Question 5

Define Union Shop

Answer 5

Employees are required to join the union as condition of their employment

Question 6

Define Closed Shop

Answer 6

Employers are required to hire only union members

Question 7

Define Open Shop

Answer 7

Allows employees to join or not join the union

Question 8

What is the process to unionize? Starting the campaign

Answer 8

1. Employee-Union contract: Employees and union officials get in touch. They build a case. Employees identify advantages of joining the union
2. Initional organizational meeting: Organizer sets up a meeting to attract supporters, using info. gathered in step 1, explains the advantages of joining a union –> signed statement approving union as representative for collective bargaining
3. Formation of in-house organizing committee: Employees as leaders are decided. Role: interest other employees to support and join the union (commitee gets employees to sign membership cards)
4. Application to appropriate labour relations board: If there is support, organizers present evidence to board (membership cards from employees in the bargaining unit)
5. Certificatipn by labour legislation board: Application is reviewed: Automatic (regular) certification if sufficieny support (50% of votes) If evidence of irregularities, possibility of holding a pre-hearing vote
6. Election of bargaining committee and negotiations: Bargaining committee is elected, in charge of negotiating a collective agreement

Question 9

What are membership cards?

Answer 9

Statement signed by an employee authorizing a union to act as arepreentative of the employee for purposes of collective bargaining

Question 10

What is accepted and what is not from the employers concerning the rights of employees towards unions?

(TACTICS)

Answer 10

What is accepted:

• Bargain in good faith
• Make the case that employees have the right not to join a union
• Emphasize current advantages

What is unfair:

• Interfere with organizing/certification process
• Dismiss, discipline, threaten employees for exercising their rights to form a union
• Promise better conditions if employees vote against the union or join a particular union
• Unilaterally change wages or working conditions during certification process or collective bargaining
• Once a union is certified: fail to bargain, hire strikebreakers
• Once a collective agreement is signed: treat employees in a different way

Question 11

What is accepted and what is not from the employees concerning their rights towards unions?

(TACTICS)

Answer 11

What is accepted:

• Present the advantages of joining a union
• Provide fair representation for all employees in the bargaining unit

What is unfair:

• Interfere with the operation of the organization
• Intimidate or coerce employees to become or remain members of the union
• Pressure the employer to dismiss, discipline or discriminate against non-union employees
• Not represent fairly all members of the bargaining unit
• Go on strike before the expiration of the collective agreement

Question 12

What is a bargaining unit

Answer 12

A group of 2 or more employees who share common employment interests and conditions and may reasonably be grouped together for purposes of collective bargaining