Employer-Employee Relations Flashcards
What is employee representation?
Employees are part of the business’ formal structure and are involved in the decision-making process.
When is it a legal requirement to consult with employees?
Redundancy proposal
When employees are transferred employer
Pension changes
Work hour changes
What are the benefits of formal employee representation?
Builds mutual trust and workplace relations
Employees’ views are understood by management
Stronger understanding of workplace issues
What are the general benefits of employee representation?
Empowers and motivates workers
Better decision making based on employee insight
Employees committed
What are the general drawbacks of employee representation?
Time-consuming
Conflict between employer, employee interests
What is the main role of trade unions?
Protect and improve real incomes of members
Lobby for better working conditions
Protect job security and unfair dismissal
What are the 2 main functions of a trade union?
Represent and negotiate
What are the benefits of a good trade union relationship?
Employees more empowered and motivated knowing they are protected
Unions are a key part of communication
Negotiating with a trade union over individual employees is quicker and cheaper
Why is union membership declining?
Decline in manufacturing employment where there is a lot of unions
Growth in service sector with less unions
More flexible working where employees need less protection
What are the main methods of industrial action?
Work-to-rule ~ do the minimum effort of work you are legally contracted to
Overtime ban ~ refuse to work overtime
Go-slow ~ working at slowest or least-productive pace
Strike ~ not attending work
Who suffers from industrial action?
Business- lost sales and profits, decline in customer satisfaction, internal distraction
Employee- lost pay, loss of jobs
How do you avoid industrial disputes?
Regular consultations, staff forums and feedback forms to pick up problems before they escalate
When are work councils needed?
Firms with 1000+ employees operate in 2 or more countries
What is the typical agenda for a works council?
Training programmes
Welfare issues
Compliance with legislation
What is ACAS?
The advisory, conciliation and arbitration service
