Labour Relations Flashcards
True or False:
Most statutes for minimum conditions of employment fall under provincial jurisdiction unless federally regulated
True
The study of the employment relationship between employers and individual employees
Human Resources management
The study of the employment relationship between employers and individual employees usually in a non union setting
Employee relations
The study of employment relationships and issues often in unionized environments
Industrial relations
The study of employment relationships and issues between groups of employees(in unions) and management (non union)
Labour relations
A group of workers recognized by law who collectively bargain terms and conditions of employment with their employer
Union
A written document outlining the terms and conditions of employment in a unionized environment
Collective agreement
The process by which management and labour negotiate the terms and conditions of employment in a unionized agreement
Collective bargaining
An action by workers in which they cease to perform work duties and do not report to work
Strike
Pay equity is
Equal pay for work of equal value
Criteria used in assessing equal pay for work of equal value
Skill
Effort
Responsibility
Working conditions
Equity in employment levels and opportunities between targeted community groups (women, visible minorities, aboriginals, disabled persons) and major employers
Employment Equity
Direct discrimination vs systemic discrimination
Direct occurs when an employee discriminated against a fellow employee
Systemic occurs when the organizational rules are followed but protected groups are disadvantaged
Health and safety legislation is twofold:
Prevention where possible
Compensation where prevention fails
Health and safety legislation 2 main prevention methods :
External system where standards established legislatively
Internal system with joint management labour safety committees
A form of negotiations in which two parties compete over the distribution of some fixed resource
Distributive bargaining
A form of bargaining in which there is a potential for a solution that produces a mutual gain; also called win win bargaining, principled negotiations and interest based bargaining
Integrative bargaining
Two forms of collective bargaining strategies
Distributive approach (competitive)( wages, benefits, vacation)
Integrative approach (collaborative) (health and safety, rest breaks)
Bargaining within union and management teams during the collective bargaining process; individual union team members for example may represent a group with particular interests such as shift workers
Intra team bargaining
Bargaining steps (8)
1) management and union prepare
2) union or management serves notice
3) parties meet
4) parties communicate
5) momentum builds for a settlement
6) contract zone reached
7) settlement
8) ratification
The process by which each party approves the settlement reached at the bargaining tables by the management and union teams
Ratification
A form infusion security When an employee will only hire individuals who are already union members
Closed shop
A form of union security in which new employees must join the union but only after a probation period
Union shop
Union security provisions include (3)
Closed shop
Union shop
Open shop (rand formula )
A union security provision in which employees do not have to join the union but all employees must of dues
Open shop ( Rand formula)
A formal complaint that a specific clause in the collective agreement has been violated
Grievance
3 types of grievances
Individual
Group
Policy
John Dunlop developed a systematic method to analyze employment relationships (4)
Actors
Shared ideology
Contexts
Web of rules
John Dunlop’s model have 3 types of actors
Government
Managerial
Non managerial (workers)
3 types of contexts in John Dunlop’s method are:
Contexts:
Market & budgetary constraints
Workplace & community constraints
Distribution of power
John Dunlop’s web of rules have 3 categories
Procedural
Substantive
Distributive
Master servant relationship
Employment relationship in which employees have few rights - employer as the master made all the rules and employee as servant had to follow them
Employment contracts required employees to perform the work and employers pay wages and was illegal for workers to quit
9 hour movement significance
1872- 1500 Hamilton workers sought a reduction in the length of the work day and goal was to standardize work day - it was wide spread but did not result in any changes
It influenced John a McDonald to create the trade union act declairing himself the working mans friend
Importance of Winnipeg general strike
1919 - female telephone operators were actively involved - building trades went on strike with metal workers to have union recognized and improve wages/ working conditions
First province to pass Wagner act
Novia Scotia -1935
Describe the Rand Formula
Justice Ivan rand decided that all union dues would be paid directly to the union (deducted from pay though a dues check) regardless of whether or not the person chose to be a union member
When:
- product markets are less competitive
- it is harder to substitute labour for capital
- labour costs are small proportion of total costs
- market for substitutions is less competitive
Then:
Demand is more elastic and unions have more power
Reasons for union decline
Globalization and pressures to be competitive, more individual protection under employment laws, and changes in the nature of work with improved HR practices
5 types of contingent work
Part time Contingent Flex time Compressed work weeks Teleworking
Importance of Snider case
Landmark in 1925 determined labour matters fell under provincial legislation
3 stakeholders on a tripartite board
Management
Labour
Government
Are Canadian labour boards tripartite in nature ?
Yes - we provide alternative to the courts that are faster and cheaper. Cases are heard by a panel consisting if union and management and a neural chair person
What is interest based bargaining
A cooperative form of bargaining in which the parties focus more on the interests of the parties and not the exaggerated positions
Hicks strike theory (accident)
Strikes represent accidents - rational is that negotiators would see to avoid strikes and lockouts to avoid higher costs
Asymmetric strike theory
Grounds in the assumption that parties strike or lockout to see if other side is bluffing. Will strike if they feel management was not being truthful about their inability to afford wages
Total joint costs theory
States parties strike when costs are relatively low for both parties
