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THE UNION-MANAGEMENT RELATIONSHIP Week 5 _________________________

THE UNION-MANAGEMENT RELATIONSHIP Week 5 _________________________. Dr. Teal McAteer-Early. An Integrated Model of the Industrial/Labour Relations System. Inputs The Actors Conversion Processes Outputs. Six Perspectives on the Study of Industrial/Labour Relations. Classical Institutional

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THE UNION-MANAGEMENT RELATIONSHIP Week 5 _________________________

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  1. THE UNION-MANAGEMENT RELATIONSHIPWeek 5_________________________ Dr. Teal McAteer-Early

  2. An Integrated Model of the Industrial/Labour Relations System • Inputs • The Actors • Conversion Processes • Outputs

  3. Six Perspectives on the Study of Industrial/Labour Relations • Classical • Institutional • Neoclassical • Human Resource Management • Strategic Choice • Political Economy

  4. Union Defined A union is an organization with the legal authority to represent workers, negotiate the terms and conditions of employment with the employer, and administer the collective agreement.

  5. Collective Agreement A contract negotiated between union and employer,outlining terms and conditions of employment.

  6. Why do Employees Join Unions? Reasons for Not Joining • Belief that union membership may harm chances for promotion • Extra costs for union dues or strikes • Negative opinions toward unions • Fair supervisory treatment/policies Reasons for Joining • Job dissatisfaction • Individual attitudes toward unions • Perceived union instrumentality

  7. Attitudes Toward Unions

  8. Practice of unions seeking to improve the wages, hours, and working conditions in a businesslike manner A characteristic of unions seeking to further members’ interests by influencing the social, economic, and legal policies of governments Union Goals and Philosophy Business Unionism Social (Reform) Unionism

  9. Craft Unions National/International Unions • Composed of workers who possess the same skills or trade • Many local unions are part of a larger national or international union Local Unions Industrial Unions • Basic unit of union organization formed in a particular plant or locality • Includes the unskilled and semiskilled workers at a particular location Union Structure and Function

  10. Trends in Union Membership • Union Growth and Decline • The number of women members has been increasing rapidly • Unions are organizing service employers • Part-time employees less likely to be unionized • Larger workplaces are more likely to be unionized • International Trends • A number of countries have experienced a decline in union density

  11. • Most collective agreements are settled without a strike • Higher wages, particularly for part-time employees • More comprehensive benefits • Relationship between unionization and productivity is subject to debate Impact of Union Representation Strikes Wages & benefits Productivity

  12. Canadian Labour Legislation Right to join a union Common Core of Labour Legislation Conciliation Good faith bargaining Prohibition of unfair labour practices No strikes or lockouts during agreement

  13. Labour Relations Boards Boards set up in the federal and all provincial jurisdictions to administer labour relations legislation

  14. Influences on Unionization • External Factors • Increase in unionization activity • Major increase in the workforce is planned • Internal Factors • Turnover and absenteeism rates are high • Employees are dissatisfied • Pay and benefits are below average • Complaint procedures are ineffective

  15. Unfair Labour Practices Management Unions • Interfering in the formation of a union or contributing financially • Discriminating based on union membership or because employee exercises rights • Intimidating or coercing an employee to join/not join • Trying to bargain when the union is not the certified agent • Persuading employees during working hours, or at the workplace • Illegal strikes • Failing to represent employees fairly

  16. Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Preparation for negotiations Face-to-face negotiations Approving the proposed agreement 3 Phases of Collective Bargaining

  17. Mutual Gains Bargaining • Moves away from traditional adversarial approach • Win-win approach • Usually preceded by conflict resolution training • Requires both labour and management to have commitment, trust, respect and a long-term focus

  18. Conciliation & Mediation • Conciliation • A government-appointed third party attempts to bring together the parties to reach agreement • In most provinces, a strike is not permitted before conciliation efforts • Mediation • Disputing parties voluntarily choose to reconcile their differences through a third party

  19. Administering the Agreement • Grievance • Complaint that some aspect of a collective agreement has been violated • Grievance procedures • Most collective agreements include formal multi-step procedures to resolve grievances • Arbitration • Used to resolve a grievance when an acceptable solution cannot be reached

  20. Contract Provisions • Union shop • Employers may hire anyone they want, but all workers must join the union within a specified period • Dues check-off • Employer required to deduct union dues • Seniority • Length of the worker’s employment • Discipline • “Just cause” is required to discipline or discharge

  21. HRM & Bargaining Unit Employees • More than 90% have a pension plan • 79% have an orientation program • 82% have an EAP • 54% have formal performance appraisal • Unions have generally avoided contingency compensation plans e.g. employee stock ownership plans

  22. Implications of Union Avoidance • Union Suppression • Fighting union representation • Example: Employer intimidates workers, threatens to close operation • Union Substitution • Examines what unions bring to the employment relationship and tries to introduce these features

  23. Design satisfying jobs Pay/benefits are parallel Maximize opportunities Employees have “voice” Select qualified workers Evaluate based on performance Establish fair standards Train workers & managers Features of Union Substitution Union Substitution

  24. Managing in a Union Environment Unions impact the HRM function: • HR department may expand to add labour relations specialists • Greater centralization of employee record-keeping and discipline to ensure uniformity • Management has less freedom to make unilateral changes

  25. Labour-Management Cooperation • Organizational performance is enhanced when labour and management cooperate • Cooperative methods include: • Prior consultation • Sincere concern • Training programs • Joint study committees • Third parties

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