Chapter 16: Labour Relations Flashcards
Labour Union
an officially and legally recognized association of employees practising a similar trade or employed in the same company or industry who have joined together to present a united form and collective voice in dealing with management
Labour Management Relations
ongoing interaction between labour unions and management in organizations
Collective Bargaining Agreement
a formal agreement between an employer and the union representing a group of employees regarding terms and conditions of employment
Collective Bargaining
negotiations between a union and an employer to arrive at a mutually acceptable collective agreement
Bargaining Unit
the groups of of employees in a firm, a plant, or an industry that has been recognized by an employer or certified by a labour relations board as appropriate for collective bargaining purposes
Business Unionism
the activities of labour unions focusing on the economic and welfare issues, including pay, benefits, job security, and working conditions
Social Unionism
activities of unions directed at furthering the interests of their members by influencing the social and economic policies of the governments at all level, such as speaking out on proposed legislative reforms
Labour Relations Strategies
a component of an organization’s HR strategy that is specific to the overall plan for dealing with unions, which sets the tone for its union-management relationships
Union Acceptance Strategy
managers view the union as the legitimate representative of the firm’s employees
Union Avoidance Strategy
managers select this strategy when they believe it is preferable to operate in a non-unionized environment
Union Substitution Approach
managers become so responsive to employees needs that there is no inceptive for them to unionize
Union Suppression Approach
managers desire to avoid a union at all costs
Labour Unions in Canada can be classified according to the following characteristics
- types of workers eligible for membership
- geographical scope
Craft Unions
a labour organizations representing workers practising some type of craft or trade
Industrial Unions
a labour organization representing all workers eligible for union membership in a particular company or industry, including skilled trades people
International Unions
labour unions with head offices in other countries that charter branches in both canada and one or more countries
National Unions
Labour unions that charter branches in Canada only and have their head office in this country
Local Unions
labour unions that are purely local in geographical scope
Union Stewards
responsible for representing the interests and protecting the rights of bargaining unit employees in their department or area
Labour Relations Process
- Desire for Collective Representation
- Union Organizing Campaign
- Union Recognition
- Collective Bargaining
- Contract Administration
Three Reasons Why Individuals Join Unions
- Dissonance Reasons (desire to join due to conflict between expectations of work and work experience)
- Utility Reasons (desire to join based on rational calculation of the costs and benefits)
- Political/Ideological Reasons
Authorization Card
a card signed by an employee that indicates the person’s willingness to have the union act as their representative for purposes of collective bargaining
Steps of Union Organizing Campaign
- employee/union contact
- initial organizational meeting
- formation of in-house organizing committee
- organizing campaign
- outcome
Voluntary Recognition
an employer in every Canadian jurisdiction expect Quebec can voluntarily recognize a union as the bargaining agent for a group of its employees
Regular Certification
n: present evidence of at least a minimum level of membership support in the form of a signed authorization card to the appropriate LRB with an application for union certification
Representation Vote
a vote conducted by the LRB in which employees in the bargaining unit indicate by secret ballot whether or not they want union representation
Prehearing Vote
an alternative mechanism for certification used in situations in which there is evidence of violations of fair labour practices early in an organizing campaign
Decertification
Process whereby the union is legally deprived of its official recognition as the exclusive bargaining agent for a group of employees
Stages in Collective Bargaining
stage 1: preparation for negotiations
stage 2: face to face negotiations
stage 3: obtaining approval for the proposed contract
stage 4: third party assistance is required by law when talks break down
stage 5: strike or lockout if parties arrive at a bargaining impasse
Caucus Sessions
sessions in which only members of one’s own bargaining team are present
They last as long as progress is being made
Bargaining Zone
the area defined by the bargaining limits of each side in which compromise is possible, as is the attainment of a settlement satisfactory to both parties
Distributive Bargaining
a win-lose negotiation strategy in which one party gains at the expense of the other
Distributive Bargaining: Initial Point
higher than what the union expects to receive from management or lower than what management expects to give the union
Distributive Bargaining: Target Point
negotiating team’s assessment of what is realistically achievable
Distributive Bargaining: Resistance Point
bargaining zone limit, minimally acceptable level or maximum giving level
Integrative Bargaining
a negotiating strategy in which the possibility of win-win, win-lose, and lose-lose outcomes is recognized, and it is acknowledged that achieving a win-win solution will depend on mutual trust and problem solving
Mutual Gains Bargaining
a win-win negotiating approach based on training in the fundamentals of effective problem solving and conflict resolution, in which that interests of all stakeholders are taken into account
Memorandum of Settlement
a summary of the terms and conditions agreed to by the parties that is submitted to the constituent groups for final approval
Ratification
formal approval by secret ballot vote of the bargaining unit members of the agreement negotiated between union and management
Conciliation
mandatory use of a neutral third party who has no direct input on the negotiation to help bring the parties together and keep them talking and have them communicate effectively so they can reach a mutually satisfactory collective agreement
Interest Arbitration
the imposition of the final terms of the collective bargaining agreement (legally mandated for workers who are not permitted to strike)
Interest Dispute
a dispute between parties over the terms of the collective agreement
Strike
the temporary refusal by bargaining unit members to continue working for the employer
Strike Vote
legally required in some jurisdictions, such a vote seeks authorization from bargaining unit members to strike if necessary
Picket
stationing groups of employees at the entrances and exits of the operations to publicize the issues in the dispute and discourage people from entering
Boycott
An organized refusal of bargaining unit members and supporters to by the products or use the services of the organization whose employees are on strike
Lockout
temporary refusal of a company to continue to providing work for bargaining unit employees involved in a labour dispute, which may lead to closure of establishment
Wildcat Strike
spontaneous walkout, not officially sanctioned by the union leaders that is illegal if it occurs during the term of a collective agreement
Union Recognition Clause
clarifies the scope of the bargaining unit by specifying the employee classifications included therein or listing those excluded
Union Security Clause
the contract provisions protecting the interests of the labour union, dealing with the issues of membership requirements and often the payment of union dues
Grievance
ritten allegation of a contract violation relating to a disagreement about its application or interpretation
Rights Disputes
a disagreement between parties regarding the interpretation or administration of the collective agreement
Rights Arbitration
process of solving rights disputes
