Topic 5 Flashcards
what are the employment relationship precursors?
-level of economic development- industrialisation
-market capitalism
-political power balance
-dominant political ideology
what are the contingent factors?
-increased inequality
-weakening trade unions
-reduced social welfare coverage
-shift in power towards capital
-dual labour markets, e.g. gig economy, zero contracts
what is industrial action?
any temporary suspension of normal working arrangements in order to express a grievance or enforce a demand
what is collective bargaining?
the process through which agreement on pay, working conditions, procedures and other negotiable issues are reached between organised employees and management representatives
what are trade unions?
continuous association of wage earners for the purpose of maintaining and improving the conditions of their working lives
what are employer associations?
Formal groups of employers set up to defend, represent or advise affiliated employers and to strengthen their position in society at large with respect to labour matters as distinct from
commercial matters.
what makes people join Unions?
-reward motive (benefits outweigh costs of membership)
-collective motive (power in numbers)
-social motive (peer pressure to join in)
what makes people not join a Union?
-Don’t feel the need
-Individualism
-Mobility
-Negotiating power
-Protective legislation
-Ignorance & suspicion
-Fear of employer’s reaction
what are the alternatives to trade unions?
-individual bargaining
-work-based, in-house staff associations
what are the underlying principles of trade unionism?
-Union actions and policies are based on the democratic decisions of a well informed membership.
-Workers need unions as much today as at any time in the past.
-Unions must retain the right to withdraw labour as a legitimate means of pursuing demands.
-Bad employers who treat workers badly have to be confronted, exposed and forced to change their behaviour
-Unions must be able to adapt their strategies and methods to changing circumstances
who is the shop steward?
an employee who is accepted by management and the union as the lay
representative of the union and it’s members, with responsibility to act on
their behalf in industrial relations matters at the organisation level.
what are the tasks of the shop steward?
-Recruit new members
-Collect subscriptions?
-Negotiate with management
-Channel of communication between members and union
-Defend and enhance interests of member
what are the current challenges facing trade unions?
-Covid 19 fall-out
-Worker pay/low pay
-Sick pay
-Working from home/remote working
-Inequality
-Post pandemic recovery
- Global recession
what are employer associations?
Formal groups of employers set up to defend, represent or advise affiliated employers and to strengthen their position in society at large with respect to labour matters as distinct from commercial matters.
what are the employers objectives in industrial relations?
-Preservation and consolidation of private enterprise system
-Maximise organisational effectiveness and returns for shareholders
-Effective use of human resources
-Control & authority in decision making
-Good management – employee
relations
what is IBEC?
national umbrella organisation for business and employers Ireland
what are IBEC’s priorities?
- Influence for Impact
- Innovation
- People, Process & Technology
- International Reach
- Growth and Scale 20
what are IBEC’s key challenges?
-Covid19
-Sustaining Business
-Re-opening the economy
-Post C19 [Reboot and Reimagine]
-Brexit fall-out
what are the frameworks shaping employee relations?
-organisational framework
-institutional framework
-legal framework
-employment relationship
how does organisational framework shape employee relations?
-Nature of business
-Ownership
-Type of workers
-Relevant markets
-Structure, history, values
-Style of management (HR Function)
-Union/non-union
-Culture
how does legal framework shape Employee relations?
-Purpose of the law
-Contract of employment
-Voluntarism V Regulation
-Multiple pieces of employment legislation
-Limitations of the law
how does institutional framework affect employee relations?
-Representative bodies (such as Trade Unions & Employer Associations)
-State-funded institutions (e.g. Workplace
Relations Commission)
-State
-European Union
what is the role of the state in ER?
-Director
-Controller of the Economy
-Employer
-Regulator
-Peace-maker
-Partner
-All determined by State ideology & objectives
what are the states objectives?
-High employment
-Financial stability & managing national balance sheet
-Facilitating exports, imports & FDI
-Social goals such as peace, justice, equality
what causes workplace conflict?
-individual related causes: attitudes, beliefs, personality orientation and human-
frailties (i.e. intrapersonal – occurs within ourselves)
-Inter-individual conflicts arises when someone breaches norms of the organisation
(i.e. interpersonal – occurs between people)
what are the factors influencing workplace conflict?
-unclear responsibility
-interpersonal relationship
-scarcity of resources
-conflict of interest
-poor communication
-different values
-poor performance
what are the types of workplace conflict?
-relationship conflict
-task conflict
-process conflict
what are the underlying principles of trade unionism?
-Union actions and policies are based on the democratic decisions of a well informed membership.
-Workers need unions as much today as at any time in the past.
-Unions must retain the right to withdraw labour as a legitimate means of pursuing demands.
-Bad employers who treat workers badly have to be confronted, exposed and forced to change their behaviour.
-Unions must be able to adapt their strategies and methods to changing
circumstances.
what are the different types of industrial action?
-Official Strike
-Unofficial Strike
-Wildcat Strike
-All-Out Strike
-Political Strike
-Sympathetic Strike
-Overtime Ban
-Work to Rule
-Lockout
what is an official strike?
-Workers refuse to work for the employer
-Legal in Ireland
-Secret ballot
-7 days’ notice required
what is an unofficial strike?
-Not recognised by unions
-No secret vote
-No notice given
-Illegal in Ireland
what is a wildcat strike?
-No vote
-Employees strike without notice
-Employees walk off the job
-Illegal
what is an all-out strike?
-All employees in a firm go on strike
-Not all employees who are striking
are involved in the dispute
-TU permission required
what is a political strike?
-A protest against the government, with a
view to securing purely political demands.
-In the context of the workplace, this type
of strike may be illegal
what is an overtime ban?
-Falls short of a full strike
-Employees refuse to work any
overtime.
-Puts the employer under
pressure during busy periods
what is work to rule?
-Less disruptive than a strike
-Pay is still received.
-Workers just do the basic work,
nothing extra.
-Employees are completely
inflexible.
-Combatted by ‘ad-hoc tasks’ or ‘as assigned’ in job descriptions.
what is a lockout?
-In contrast to a strike, this is initiated by employers or industry owners.
-Refers to the denial of employment during a labour dispute.
-Employer locks employees out of the workplace but does not sack them – used to gain leverage.
-Employer hopes workers will give in due to lack of payment received
what do employer organisations do?
-Advise members on human resources and industrial
relations matters
-Undertake research and represent members in negotiations
with employees and in disputes
-Represent employer interests nationally and internationally
what are the employers objectives in industrial relations?
-Preservation and consolidation of
private enterprise system
-Maximise organisational effectiveness
and returns for shareholders
-Effective use of human resources
-Control & authority in decision making
-Good management – employee relations
