Industrial Relations

Question 1

Why is a good employee-employer relationship important

Answer 1

Increased morale and productivity
Less Absenteeism
Lower staff Turnover
Customer Loyalty

Question 2

Reasons for employee to ask for a pay increase

Answer 2

Productivity increase
Cost of living increase
Comparability Increase
Relativity Increase

Question 3

What are the functions/benefits of being a member of a trade union

Answer 3

Better Pay and working conditions
Job Protection
Pressure the government
Organise Industrial Action
Representation and Negotiation in a Dispute
''Two peas in a pod'' - ''PPPOD''

Question 4

Types of Industrial Action

Answer 4

'’SWOTS’’
Strike (official or unofficial) - secret vote, 7 days notice
Work to rule/Go slow - will not complete any extra duties outside of those stated in the contract
Overtime ban - Refuse to do overtime
Token stoppage - Temporarily stop work
Sympathetic strike - support of co-workers
Lightning/Wildcat strike - illegal, no notice

Question 5

Non legislative methods of conflict resolution

Answer 5

Negotiation - Attempt to come to solution. No legal power
Conciliation - third party, both parties can accept/reject conciliators formula of protocol
Arbitration - Third party makes judgement. Both agree becomes ‘‘binding arbitration’’

Question 6

Legislative methods of conflict resolution

Answer 6

Industrial Relations Act, 1990 - Strike
The Labour Relations committee - Preventing strikes
The Labour Court - Cases of industrial Disputes
Employment Equality Act, 1998 - Discrimination
Unfair Dismissals Act, 1997 and 2007

Question 7

Industrial Relations Act

Answer 7

Trade dispute - Legitamite and illegal
Immunity - secret ballot, a week’s notice - cannot be sued, arrested or stopped
Official Strike must -secret ballot, weeks notice, permission from trade union
Primary and Secondary picketing - outside business premises, premises that trades with employer
Labour Relations Committee - was set up under Industrial Relations Act

Question 8

Legitimate Trade Dispute

Answer 8

Dismissal/Suspension
Trade union recognition - fails to recognise 1 union
Discrimination
Pay and Working conditions - not satisfying or safe

Question 9

Illegal Trade Disputes

Answer 9

Disagreement on how business should be run
Dispute of a political nature - different political views
Attempt to enforce a closed-shop agreement - only have a job in a certain business if they are member of a specific union

Question 10

Functions of the Labour Relations Commission

Answer 10

Rights Commissioner - deals with conflicts - an individual or a small group of employees, non-binding
Equality Officer - investigates disputes
Conciliation service - Industrial Relations Officer
Advisory, development and research service- provides advice
Codes of Practice - LRC consults with the ICTU
‘‘RECAP’’

Question 11

Functions of the Labour Court

Answer 11

Investigates disputes - non legally binding
Hear appeals against the rights commissioner’s - legally binding, recommendation
Register collective agreements - legally binding
Interpret Code of Practice - investigates breach of code of practice
Joint Labour Committees - regulates industries where workers have no unions

Question 12

Unfair Dismissal Act, 1997-2007

Answer 12

Fair/Unfair dismissal
Procedure for dismissal that employers must follow
Redress for unfair dismissal
Constructive dismissal

Question 13

Reasons for Fair Dismissal

Answer 13

Incapable of doing the job
Incompetent
Qualifications
Misconduct
Redundancies

Question 14

Reasons for Unfair Dismissal

Answer 14

Member of a union
Pregnancy
Religion
Race
Suing employer
Traveller
Sexuality

Question 15

Procedure for dismissal

Answer 15

Counsel - Identify problem
Verbal warning
Written warning
Suspension
Dismissal
Right to appeal dismissal

Question 16

Redress for unfair dismissal

Answer 16

Re-instatement (returns to old job and receives damages for a loss in pay)
Re-engagement (Returns and does not receive any damages for loss of pay)
Compensation (Don’t get their job back but receive money - up to 2 years pay)
‘‘Redress.ie’’

Question 17

Employment Equality Act, 1998-2008

Answer 17

Discrimination - treated less favourably
Gender, Age, Race, Family status, Maritial status, Sexual orientation, Religion, Traveller, Disability
Employees must be treated equally - pay working conditions, dismissal, hired , trained and promoted
Positive discriminationachieve equality among those who arte normally doscrimanted against
Equality Authority - Promotes Equality
Director of the Equality Tribunal

Question 18

Director of the Equality Tribunal/Investigations

Answer 18

Investigate discrimination - receive a complaint within in 6 months
Minor case - Equalit Mediator Office - informal, private
Serious case - Equality Officer, formal
Final decision - Director makes decision
ruling must be obeyed. Decisions are enforceable through the circuit court. May appealed to Labour Court within 42 days