Resolving conflict in the workplace

Question 1

Industrial Relations

Answer 1

Refers to the relationship between the employer and employee in the workplace.

Question 2

Benefits of positive industrial relations

Answer 2

1. Recruitment and retention: easier to recruit and retain staff with positive relations in
   the workplace.
2. Employee motivation: Happy employees are motivated to work harder to benefit the
   business
3. Intrapreneurship: employees are willing to suggest new ideas to the business to
   increase sales.
4. Change: Employees are more open to change when the employer is honest.

Question 3

Causes of industrial relations

Answer 3

1. Pay: Disputes with the employer over rates of pay, overtime payments and pension
   contributions.
2. Working Conditions: Disagreement with the employer in relation to hours of work and
   health in the workplace.
3. Technology: Resistance to introduction of new technology with belief the employer
   didn’t provide adequate training

Question 4

Pay claim

Answer 4

A demand made by employees to the employer for an increase in pay.

Question 5

Pay claims

Answer 5

1. Cost of living claim: This occurs when employees want their pay to keep up with the
   rate of inflation.
2. Comparability claim: Employees want a pay increase because people doing similar
   work got an increase.
3. Productivity claim: Employees seek a pay rise when their workload has increased.

Question 6

Trade Union

Answer 6

Is an organisation that aims to protect and improve the pay and working conditions of its members

Question 7

Benefits of trade union for employees

Answer 7

Protect employment rights, information and support, better pay and working conditions.

Question 8

Benefits of trade union for employers

Answer 8

Improved health and safety and introducing change.

Question 9

ICTU (Irish Congress Trade Union)

Answer 9

Is the umbrella body that represents and campaigns on behalf of trade union Ireland.
it aims to reduce disputes between union and employers.

Question 10

Legal Types of Industrial Action

Answer 10

1. Official strike: Employees refuse to enter and perform normal duties in the workplace.
2. All-Out-Strike: All employees go on strike even those who are not directly involved.
3. Work-to-Rule: Employees carry out their workplace duties as stated in the contract.
4. Token-stoppage: Employees refuse to work for a short period of time.
5. Overtime-Ban: Employees refuse to work overtime for the employer.

Question 11

illegal types of Industrial Action

Answer 11

1. Unofficial-Strike: Employees take strike action but don’t meet some requirements e.g
   don’t conduct a ballot.
2. Wildcat strike: Employees take strike action without warning the employer.
3. Political strike: Employees leave the workplace to protest against new laws e.g
   government laws

Question 12

Non-Legislative Methods of solving Industrial relations conflict

Answer 12

1. Meeting and talking
2. Negotiation
3. Conciliation
4. Mediation
5. Arbitration

Question 13

Meeting and talking

Answer 13

Meeting arranged between employer and employee to resolve their problems.

Question 14

Negotiation

Answer 14

Both parties meet and bargain with each other e.g offers and counter offers.

Question 15

Conciliation

Answer 15

A person who brings disputing parties together to try resolve the dispute.

Question 16

Mediation

Answer 16

An independent person who aims to get two parties in a dispute to reach an agreement by acting as a go between.

Question 17

Arbitration

Answer 17

An independent person who examines an issue and makes a recommendation on how it should be solved.

Question 18

Legislative Methods of solving Industrial relations conflict

Answer 18

1. Industrial Relations Act 1990
2. WRC
3. Unfair Dismissal 1977-2015

Question 19

Industrial Relations Act 1990

Answer 19

A. Trade disputes: This relates to any dispute between the employer and the employee
connected with employment or non employment and terms and conditions of
employment.
B. Secret Ballot: For strike to occur, trade union members must vote in a secret ballot.
C. Minimum Notice: The employees must give the employer one weeks notice before
strike
D. Picketing
E. Immunity: Employer cannot sue the trade union or members for its losses due to
strike.

Question 20

Primary picketing

Answer 20

Takes place at the employees workplace, involves placards.

Question 21

Secondary Picketing

Answer 21

Takes place outside someone else’s workplace.

Question 22

WRC

Answer 22

A. Information: Wrc provides info and employment law & industrial relations through its
website and phone line.
B. Advisory service: Works with business to build positive relations in the workplace.
C. Conciliation: An independent conciliator hears the dispute and helps parties reach a
mutual agreement.
D. Mediation: The mediation officer gets both parties to reach a mutually acceptable
solution to their dispute.
E. Adjudication Service: An adjudicator investigates cases when mediation is unsuccesful
F. Codes of Practice: Wrc formulates codes of practice, which indicates how people act
e.g no bullying

Question 23

Dismissal

Answer 23

When an employer removes an employee from their job

Question 24

Reasons for Fair Dismissal

Answer 24

1. Redundancy: Genuine redundancy situation exists e.g falling sales.
2. Incompetence: Can be dismissed if role not performed to standard.
3. Qualifications: If employee doesn’t have the right qualifications for the job.
4. Employee Misconduct: Number of minor incidents e.g late to work.
5. Legal reasons: Employee may be dismissed if their employment breaks law e.g no visa

Question 25

Procedure for Fair dismissal

Answer 25

1. Counsel employee: Employer notices an employee underperforming and arranges a
   meeting to outline the improvements.
2. Verbal warning: No improvements made so formal meeting is arranged. outlines
   improvements with a timeline.
3. First Written Warning: This is issued to employee if no improvements made through
   performance.
4. Final Written warning: If employee performance does not improve during timeline
   they may be suspended or dismissed.
5. Suspension: Employee may be suspended with or without pay while further
   investigation is made.
6. Dismissal: Employer removes the employee from the business as no improvements
   were made.