Labor Relations Flashcards
Group of workers who coordinate their activities to achieve common goals (e.g., better wages, hours, or working conditions; job security; training) in their relationship with an employer or group of employers. Members elect representative to interact with management.
Labor Union or Trade Union
A model seen in Japan. Example, all the employees of an employer, regardless of job type or skills, may be represented by a single enterprise union. These enterprise-level unions may join a larger national or industrial confederation.
Single Enterprise Union
Union such as one that represents electrical, chemical or atomic workers.
Specific trade or craft union
In many countries different trade or craft unions join national federations of unions. The confederation may be tight or loose.
National Union
Represents workers from different employers within a certain industry, such as steel or auto manufacturing
Industry Union
- Level at which bargaining occurs.
- Focus of bargaining topics.
- Union penetration or density.
- Membership.
- Relationship with management.
- Role government will play.
The 6 characteristics that HR professionals should try to identify in labor groups with whom organizations interact.
Organizations may accept unionization for good reason. In some countries, third parties - both labor unions and work councils - may be well established historically and culturally and well protected legally. Unions may be the norm in certain industries. Some organizations may find the costs of fighting unionization efforts to be too high or too distracting.
“Acceptance” Labor Strategy
Employers may choose to avoid unionization because of the additional cost of managing a unionized workforce (especially one with multiple unions), the loss of flexibility in management decisions, and the increased time required to make and implement strategic decisions.
“Avoidance” Labor Strategy
When a workplace is already unionized, the employer can define the type of relationship they want with the third-party representatives: confrontational or collaborative.
“Adaptation” Labor Strategy
- Hands-off
- Monitor
- Guide and advise
- Strategic planning
- Set limits and approve exceptions
- Integration of headquarters and line management in field
- Manage locally from headquarters
7 Different Approaches to Managing the Workforce Relationship
Permanent bodies composed of workforce members that represent employees, generally on a local or organizational level. Their primary purpose is information and consultation - to receive from employers and to convey to employees information that might affect the workforce and the health of the enterprise.
Work Councils
Form of corporate governance that requires a two-tiered corporate board structure - a typical management board and a supervisory board - that allows management and employees to participate in strategic decision making.
Codetermination
In addition to the typical management board, there is a supervisory board. Depending on the size of the employer, as many as half of the supervisory board members may be works. Because this supervisory board has the authority to accept or reject the management board’s decision, organizations are essentially prohibited from implementing workplace changes without employee consent.
Dual System
There is only one board of directors, but employee representatives are included as members.
Single-tier system
Employee representatives are included, but they are only advisors (i.e., in a nonvoting capacity)
Mixed System
From British usage, this includes various forms of collective employee actions (or “concerted activities,” in U.S. parlance) taken to protest work conditions or employer actions.
Industrial Actions
Work stoppage
General Strike
Refusal by workers to work; also refusal by workers to leave their workstations, making it impossible for the employer to use replacement workers.
Sit-Down Strike
Action taken in support of another union that is striking the employer. Contracts may include provisions prohibiting sympathy strikes.
Sympathy Strike
Work stoppages at union contract operations that have not been sanctioned by the union.
Wildcat Strike
Attempt by a union to influence an employer by putting pressure on another employer-for example, a supplier.
Secondary Actioner Boycott
Situation in which workers slow processes by performing tasks exactly to specifications or according to job or task descriptions.
Work-to-rule
Similar to work-to-rule, employees refuse to work any overtime, adhering to the hours stipulated in the contract.
Overtime ban
Positioning of employees at the place of work targeted for the action for the purpose of protest. Can be used for similar purposes as strike, but there is no work stoppage. In some cases, picketers may illegally interfere with commerce at the employer’s site.
Picketing
A violation of employee rights as defined in a country’s labor statutes.
Unfair Labor Practice (ULP)
The process by which management and union representatives negotiate the employment conditions for a particular bargaining unit.
Collective Bargaining
Government regulations that make collective bargaining agreements compulsory for employers or enforceable.
Legal and regulatory factors
Factors during the bargaining process that led to previous agreements and/or the existing agreement.
Bargaining precedents
Public sentiments about the organization and the union and what employees deem to be pertinent.
Public and employee opinion
The state of the local and national economies
Economic conditions
Method of nonbinding dispute resolution involving a third party who tries to help the disputing parties reach a mutually agreeable decision.
Mediation (conciliation)
A negotiated procedure in which labor and management agree to submit disputes to an impartial third party and abide by the arbitrator’s decision.
Arbitration
Process provides and orderly way to resolve the inevitable differences of opinion in regard to the union contract that develop during the life of the agreement.
Grievance procedure
- Immediate supervisor
- Next level
- Higher-level management
- Third-party determination
The Grievance Process
- Review codes of conduct before implementing them.
- Set clear expectations.
- Behave consistently.
- Establish a climate of communication.
- Maintain an open-door policy.
Measures to prevent disciplinary situations
A form of corrective action that implements increasingly severe penalities.
Constructive Discipline
- Verbal counseling, problem-solving, and open dialogue.
- First formal warning.
- Second warning.
- Final warning.
- Discharge or termination.
Constructive Discipline Process
