Employee Relations Flashcards
Employee relations - define
Focus on collective employment relationships - interaction of organisation to staff as group rather than individually.
Focus on way that employment relationship is regulated within org.
Employee relations continuum
Total employer control to total employee control:
- Employer makes all decisions
- Employer makes decisions, but consults
- Employer involves staff in decision-making
- Employer and employees co-determine issues
- Employees make all decisions
Decline of trade union membership
- UK trend: younger workers are not joining
- Reached peak in 1979
- 2015: 25% of working pop
Why is there decline in trade union influence?
- Trade union leaders blame government between 1979-97: unfavourable legislation and gov not backing down on campaigns (reduced power)
- Industrial restructuring
- Ppl becoming less interest in unions (believe there’s no gain)
Criticism on trade union’s perspective
- Little legislation introduced that directly affect union membership
- Union-gov battles occurred mostly in public sector, which still keeps healthy membership
- Ignores the decline thanks to employee relations in industrialisation during 80s and 90s
- Blair gov (post-1997) introduced measures to enhance trade union position, but membership still declined
Impact of industrial restructuring
- Types of workplaces supported by unions are declining, new workplaces are not traditionally unionised
- Industries where union membership is a norm are replaced by service sector
- Size of workplace declined, lessens propensity of joining unions (small workplaces are more personal, higher trust and unified culture)
Criticism of industrial restructuring as a major reason
Metcalf (2005): only small portion of total loss of members in past 30 years is due to industrial restructuring, union density in manufacturing was low in first place, public sector jobs grew between 1997 and 2010
Studies that show how ppl are becoming less interested in unions
- Metcalf (2005): union wage premium, additional amount earned by union members vs non-members - 80s=10%, 2004=5%, now=3%
- Bryson (2007): ppl lost faith in unions making difference, 66% in non-union workplaces believe they make no difference, 14% say unions make matters worse, 40% in unionised workplaces say makes no positive impact
Why are ppl losing interest?
- increased idividualism in society
- tighter labour markets
- More effective HRM policies and practices
Criticisms of third explanation (ppl feeling that it makes no difference)
- Possible reversal of trends (in past unions decayed and recovered later)
- Kelly (1998): union membership declined in 20s and early 30s, but recovered afterwards - workers put up with so much exploitation/domination before uniting to fight back
Consequences of declined union membership
- TandC cannot be determined through collective bargaining
Contemporary trade union issues
- Trade Union Act 2016: may be restrictive for TUs
- Trade union leaders are prepared to break the law, which would lead to sequestration of union assets held in UK
- Rise of leverage strategies in place of traditional industrial action
Trade Unions Act (new trade union legislation through parliament)
- When trade union ballots for industrial action, this is legal if there is at least 50% turnout
- Essential public services - at least 40% of members have to vote in favour of action for it to be lawful
- Measures for striking workers who intimidate colleagues who don’t join - intimidatory picketing is criminal and civil offence, named union official has to be present in picket to liaise with the police, code of practice on picketing obliges unions to supervise
- Law of recruitment agencies changed to permit supply of agency workers to an org to cover work carried by employees who are on strike
- Cooling-off period: must occur between announcement of ballot…
Darlington and Dobson (2015) - TUA
Reviewed 158 strike ballots, only 85 cases was a 50% turnout achieved
Out of 90 ballots in public sector, only 55 were lawful
Half of all strikes and 40% of those organised by public sector in ‘essential services’ would not be possible to do lawfully
Leverage campaigns have 2 principle elements:
- Works to break reputations of employer: among (potential) customers, reputation as employer, in financial markets, reputation among partners in supply chain
- Strengthen union while weakening employer: demonstrations, lobbying, media campaigns and stunts that build support for union among organisational stakeholders, opinion-formers, political decision-makers and wider community while weakening support of employer
DBIS, 2015 - is the TUA affecting TUs?
65% of strikes in public services over 5 years would not have reached 50% and 40% balloting thresholds that the new Act will impose
Implications for HRM
- Power has shifted towards mgmt, high level of unemployment and low levels of employment security reduce ability and willingness of employees to resist
- HR managers were constrained in how they approached the people-related aspects of their activities. Trade union decline gave them opportunity to control and shape approaches that help organisations
- HR strategies can be developed without resistance from trade unions
- Employers also take opportunity to employ flexibly (part-time, outsourcing non-core activities)
