Management of Industrial Relations 2

Question 1

What is the 3-stage process for analysing conflict?

Answer 1

1. Description: identify symptoms
2. Explanation: diagnose cause
3. Prescription: offer solution

Question 2

What is Pluralism?

Answer 2

Structure of employment relationship contains potential for conflict, which is therefore legitimate and inevitable.

Question 3

What is Radicalism?

Answer 3

Conflict is a reflection of class conflict and a permanent feature of capitalism.

Question 4

What are some forms of industrial conflict?

Answer 4

• overt or covert
• collective or individual
• proactive or defensive

Question 5

What are some overt conflicts?

Answer 5

• strikes
• boycotts
• bans
• sabotage
• sit-ins
• pickets

Question 6

What are some covert conflicts?

Answer 6

• absenteeism
• sabotage
• turnover
• theft/pilfering
• indifference
• slow performance
• failure to share knowledge
• whistle blowing

Question 7

What are the steps of negotiation?

Answer 7

1. The introductory phase: agenda, behaviour opening offers
2. The differentiation phase
3. The integration phase
4. The settlement phase
5. Implementation

Question 8

What describes industrial relations?

Answer 8

Conflictual and collectivist

Sensationist and dramatic

Question 9

What is Beatrice and Sydney Webb’s trade union definition?

Answer 9

‘a continuous association of wage earners for the purpose of maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment’

Question 10

Freeman and Medoff identify which two faces of unionism?

Answer 10

the monopoly face and the collective voice face

Question 11

What are the types of managerial control strategies developed by Braverman, Friedman, and Edwards?

Answer 11

• Personalised control: under direct control of supervisors
• Technical control - systems & processes restrict discretion
• Bureaucratic control: rules and policies
• Commitment as a strategy: aligned interests

Question 12

Describe modern awards

Answer 12

a fair and relevant minimum safety net of terms and conditions

Question 13

How do modern awards provide a safety net?

Answer 13

They must meet the objective and legislation

Question 14

What is management unitlateralism?

Answer 14

the process in which management solely determines rules of the employment relationship

Question 15

What is managerial prerogative?

Answer 15

those areas of decision-making within an organisation over which managers claim to have an unfettered right to decide as they see fit.

Question 16

What are the different individual contracting types?

Answer 16

• substantive individualisation (terms and conditions)

- procedural individualisation (individual rule-making process)

Question 17

What are 4 types of union structures?

Answer 17

1. Craft/occupational (e.g. Nurses union)
2. Industry (e.g. Finance sector union)
3. Company/Enterprise (CBA officers union)
4. General/conglomerate (United Voice)

Question 18

What is Corporatism?

Answer 18

the organisation of society into major interest groups and bodies

Question 19

What is procedural fairness?

Answer 19

whether the termination of employment was carried out fairly with reference to principles of natural justice

Question 20

What is substantive fairness?

Answer 20

whether a fair reason existed for termination of employment

Question 21

What is the BOO(Test)?

Answer 21

Better off overall test - must be BOOT than would have otherwise received under a modern award