Perspectives of Labour Relations

Question 1

What are the five ideological perspectives of labour relations? (Godard)

Answer 1

• Neo-liberal
• Managerialist
• Orthodox pluralists
• Liberal reformists
• Radical

Question 2

Which of the perspectives is seen as the dominant perspective in Canadian labour relations today?

Answer 2

Pluralism

Question 3

Unitarism (description)

Answer 3

Reflects the outlook of neo-liberal and managerialist perspectives in that it sees employment as, fundamentally, an economic contract between two free and equal parties.

Impersonal forces of supply and demand set wage rates and provide both parties with the bargaining power that they are due. It is closely aligned with belief in the free market and the rights of private property.

Question 4

Key features of unitarism

Answer 4

• work organization is held together by common objectives that unite managers and workers
• do not acknowledge any fundamental or irreconcilable conflicts between the interests of employers and employees
• believe that industrial relations are good when there is an absence of conflict. If conflict is present they explain it as rooted in the irrationality of workers, in poor communication between management and labour, and in lack of leadership.
• argue that trade unions do not understand the realities of the market or have an imperfect understanding of economics. Unions are perceived as rigidities that pervert the efficient allocation of resources.

Question 5

Pluralism (description)

Answer 5

• consists of both orthodox pluralists and liberal reformists
• accept that employment relationships entail both converging and conflicting interests between employers and employees
• believe conflict is best managed through joint labour-management regulation of the workplace
• addresses the perceived shortcomings of unitarism
• recognizing that conflict will occur, and by developing structures to approach and manage the conflict.

Question 6

Elements of pluralism

Answer 6

• supports the existence and function of trade unions and collective bargaining and argues it is only rational for employees to establish a countervailing power against that of the employer.
• assumes that trade unions equalize the balance of power in employment, therefore collective bargaining is fair
• ecognizes a role for the state in establishing the rules and acting as an impartial “referee” in the game of labour relations.

Question 7

Radicalism (description)

Answer 7

• conflict is inherent between employers and workers, it also considers the causes of that conflict, which it argues are located in wider society.
• offers a critique of both unitarism and pluralism
• contends that labour in society requires an understanding of society’s entire network of social, economic, and political relations.
• labour relations need to be placed within their political and economic context—that is, within a capitalist society.
• argues that the importance of collective bargaining has been exaggerated.
• views unitarism as an attempt to legitimize the rights of management and private property
• pluralism as a well-intentioned but superficial preoccupation with the effects of an unequal society

Question 8

Elements of radicalism

Answer 8

• presumes that a balance of power between employers and workers is not possible because power rests in the nature of the economic and political system, and not at the bargaining table.
• focuses its analysis on clarifying how management controls the employment relationship and how this control is resisted by organized labour and individual workers
• while supportive of unionism in principle, can also be highly critical of the practice of unionism.
• supportive of the notion of unions as agents for broader social change, as argued by Webbs and Marx.

Question 9

Neo-liberal features (Godard)

Answer 9

• Concerned with maximizing efficiency
  Focused on Labour Markets
• Power is not Important – Remedied by Market Focus
• Conflict is not inherent at all as it is Remedied by Market Focus
• Unions and Collective Bargaining have negative economic and social consequences
• Believes in reducing government and union interference in markets

Question 10

Managerialist features (Godard)

Answer 10

• Concerned with maximize worker loyalty
• Focuses on managerial polices and practices
• Power is of minor importance if management adopts progressive practices
• Conflict is inherent very little if management adopts progressive practices
• Ambivalent towards unions and collective bargaining; depends on willingness of parties to cooperate
• Believes in promoting progressive managerial practices and labour-management cooperation

Question 11

Orthodox Pluralists features (Godard)

Answer 11

• Concerned with balancing efficiency and equity
• Focused on labour unions, labour law, and collective bargaining
• Power is of moderate importance
• Conflict is lined by overacting commonalities of interest
• Unions and collective bargaining have positive “social” effects, neutral or even positive economic effects
• Believes in protecting rights of workers to bargain collectively i.e. minimum standards legislation

Question 12

Liberal Reformists features (Godard)

Answer 12

• Concerned with elimination of inequalities and injustices
• Focused on social issue/problems of workers
• Power is of considerable importance as it is the primary source of inequality
• Conflict depends; low in the “core”, High in the “periphery”
• Unions and collective bargaining are ineffective in “periphery” limited effectiveness in “core”
• Believe in increased government intervention/labour law reforms

Question 13

Radicalism features (Godard)

Answer 13

• Concerned with elimination of system-wider power imbalances
• Focused on conflict and control
• Power is of fundamental importance; system wide power imbalances between “labour” and “capital”
• Conflict is fundamental, though varies according to worker power
• Unions and collective bargaining is inherently limited effectiveness under capitalism
• Believes there is a need for radical structural change: employee ownership and control

Question 14

Neo-liberalist (opinion of unions)

Answer 14

• There is little role for unions
• Unions prevent management from dealing with workers individually
• Unions inflate wages, interfere with management authority and harm the employer’s competitive advantage

Question 15

Managerialist (opinion of unions)

Answer 15

• ambivalent towards unions and employment standards
• believe that unions should be avoided because they threaten authority and introduce uncertainty
• but also believe that where unions are established management should accept them and seek a cooperative relationship

Question 16

Orthodox-pluralist (opinion of unions)

Answer 16

• labour unions and collective bargaining help to remedy imbalances
• less imbalances lead to desirable moral grounds and thus high morals
• higher moral leads to more productity and helps offset cost of higher wages and benefits

Question 17

Liberal-Reformist (opinion of unions)

Answer 17

• highly supportive of labour unions and collective bargaining but also highly critical of the system where the operate
• believe that unions are least effective in the workplaces where they are most needed
• feel that workers have too little power and employers have too much so unions are not to achieve many gains

Question 18

Radical (opinion of unions)

Answer 18

• unions are of limited effectiveness as the attempt to work within the confines of capitalism
• unions can do little to protect their workers against technology and international competition
• unions need to raise worker consciousness and build a “Opposition” movement