Labour Relations - Content Flashcards
John Dunlops industrials relations systems approach consists of what key elements?
1) The environment
2) Actors & parties
3) Processes & activities
4) Outputs & results
Feedback comes through the feedback loops.
Feedback loops: O&R to all. P&A to A/P.
What is the political economy approach to labour relations?
It emphasizes that labour relations is affected by broader issues in society and the economy, in particular, the distribution of power.
Employers have the upper hand when dealing with employees, and the establishment of small fragmented single-employer bargaining units means that employees do not have sufficient power to deal with employers.
How did labour organizations begin in Canada?
in the early 1800s, independent local unions made up of skilled craft workers.
They were concerned with protecting their craft status from unskilled workers and providing assistance to their fellow tradesmen who were sick or unemployed
What are the economic trends affecting Labour Relations?
1) Labour marketing changes
2) Globalization
3) Trade liberalization
4) Deregulation
5) Non-standard work (P-T/Temp)
6) Mergers
7) Downsizing
What environmental factors affect Labour Relations?
1) Economic
2) Social
3) Political
4) Legal
5) Technology
What factors affect an employer’s labour relations strategy?
1) Employer’s competitive strategy
2) Union/Non-union status of competitors
3) Experience with unionization
4) Management values/ideology
5) Union philosophy/policy (of employer)
6) Union power and ability to oppress the employer
7) Types of employees
8) Legal environment
How can an employer behave when faced with a union
1) Union opposition
2) Union avoidance/substitution
3) Union acceptance
4) Union resistance
5) Union removal
What are best practices for an employee communications program
1) Conduct a communications audit
2) Create outlets for employee suggestions
3) Have leaders interact with employees at all levels
What are forms of employee involvement?
1) Quality circles (employees investigate problems)
2) Problem-solving groups
3) Employee-management committees
4) Self-directed teams
5) Co-determination (of decisions)
What are the two types of unions?
Craft: members of a trade/occupation
Industrial: workers from different positions in a company/firm
What are key union objectives
1) Improving terms and conditions of work
2) Protecting employees against arbitrary management action
3) Providing a process for conflict resolution and employee input
4) Pursuing economic and social change
What are the key functions of a Local?
- Administration of the collective agreement
- Collecting union dues
- Grievance/arbitration representation
- Collective bargaining on local issues
- Training/educating members
- Political action
- Organizing workers
What are the functions of the Canadian Labour Congress?
- Lobbying the federal government
- Pursuing economic and social policy favourable to workers at the federal level
- Managing jurisdictional disputes between unions
- Enforcing the CLC code of ethics
- Education
- Research and analysis
- Maintaining links with labour movements in other countries
What is the government’s involvement in labour relations?
- Regulation of labour relations processes
- Regulation of labour relations outcomes
- Protecting public interest
- Providing assistance to the industry
- Regulating market practices/results
What are reasons employees unionize?
- Poor supervisors/managers
- Compensation
- Fairness/equity
- Job security
- Working conditions
- Workload
- Influence in policy making
- Complaint mechanism
What are reasons employees do not unionize?
- Union Dues
- The political/social activities of unions
- Strikes
- Loyalty to the employer
- Conflict (caused by the a unionized workplace)
- The non-union merit system
- Union member perceptions
- Employer retaliation
- Job loss
How does a union gain bargaining rights?
1) Being voluntarily recognized by the employer
2) Applying to the Labour Relations Board
When a union applies for certification to the LRB, it must establish
1) It is a trade union as defined by legislation
2) The application is timely
3) The group of employees is an appropriate bargaining unit
4) The union has adequate support from employees
What workers are ineligible for unionization?
- Dependent contractors
- Managers/supervisors
- Employees involved with confidential labour relations material
- Some specified occupations
What are the 2 ways to certify employee support for a union?
1) Representation vote
2) Membership cards
What are 2 ways an employer can use unfair labour practices against an employer?
1) Threats, intimidation and coercion
2) Interference or influence by the employer
What behaviour is allowed by employers during a union organizing campaign
- Prohibiting non-employees into the workspace
- Prohibiting employees from the workplace during their off hours (if this is the standard policy)
- Implementing rules that prevent socialization about unionization during working hours
- In appropriately talking with employees about unions/unionizing practices
- Changing work conditions before AND during the statutory freeze (as long as it is not an attempt to influence employees)
- Responding to union claims
What unfair labour practices must unions avoid at certification?
- Intimidation, threats or coercion to compel a person to become or cease to be a member of a trade union
- Solicitation of union support during working hours
What happens when their is an allegation of unfair labour practices?
- A complaint is filed with the Labour Relations Board in the jurisdiction.
- The burden of proof is is placed on the employer
What are some remedies for unfair labour practices?
- Cease and desist order
- Reinstatement of discharged employees
- Compensation for financial losses (Making Whole)
- Interest on monies awarded
- Posting or mailing of a notice to employees
- Access order (access to company property)
- Freeze on working conditions
- New representation vote
- Certification without a vote or remedial certification (not available in all jurisdictions)
- Prosecution
What is the employee decertification process?
- Employees in the bargaining unit sign a statement confirming that they do not want the union to represent them, and this evidence is filed with the Board,
- An application form to decertify the union is also attached