Dealing with employee management issues and relations – chapter 13
Unions
generally performed by workers to protect themselves from intolerable work conditions and fair
treatment
craft union
organization of skilled specialists in a particular craft or trade. were formed to address fundamental
work issues of pay hours conditions and job security
industrial union
consists of unskilled and semi-skilled workers in a mass production industry
Reasons why employees join unions:
pro union attitudes, job security, poor management and employee relations, poor work conditions
reasons why employees do not join unions:
anti you need an attitude, peer pressure, good work conditions
Unionization rate
refers to the percentage of employee individuals who are union members
coverage rate
percentage of employed individuals who are covered by a collective agreement
labor legalization
Required by law to be democratic and financially accountable to their members
Workplace law
right to know about workplace hazards
labor relationship board
quasi-judicial body consisting of representatives from government labour and business
Collective bargaining
Union and management representatives negotiate a contract for workers
Certification
Formal process where the union is recognized by the Labor Relations Board as the bargaining agent for a
group of employees
Decertification
process by which workers can take away a union right to represent them
negotiated labor
Clarify the terms and conditions and sets the tone under which management and organized labor will
function over a specific.
Closed shop
all new hires must be union members. hiring is done through the union
union shop
the employer is free to hire anybody the recruits must join the union within a short period of time
agency shop
the new employee is not required to join the union but must pay union dues
Open shop
it is the least popular with unions and most favored by employers. employees are free to join or not join
the union and to pay or not pay the union dues
Joining a union
Advantages:
-members are better protected when disputes arise
-usually receive higher wages and benefits from better coverages
-better at negotiating power as a group rather than as an individual
disadvantages
-you may not agree with all the unions decisions
-promotion and pay may be determined by seniority
-negotiated compensation usually leads to a higher production cost
grievance
A procedure laid down in the contract for resolving differences of interpretation
Arbitration
independent outside party to rule on grievances
mediation
the same as arbitration but the mediator has no power to enforce the ruling over the parties
conciliation
process by which a trade union or an employer must use the government services for help in resolving
their differences so that they can reach an agreement
bargaining zone
range of options between the initial and the final offer that each party will consider in reaching an
agreement through collective bargaining
mediator
encourages both sides in a dispute to consider negotiating an often make suggestions for resolving the
dispute
Labor weapons
Strikes, boycotts, work slowdowns
management weapons
injunctions, bankruptcy, strikebreakers
Strikes
Occurs when workers collectively decided to stop working and list can attract public attention
rotating strikes
union tactic includes rotating strikes. They demonstrate to the employer how much disruption a
shutdown will cause without going straight into complete shutdown. employees still get some pay.
Wildcat strike
Unauthorized work stoppage while a labor contract is still effective
Boycott
Occurs when organized labor encourages both its members and the public not to buy the products or
services of a firm
Pickering
Strikers may also pick up the company which means that they walk around the outside of the company
carrying signs and talking with the public and the media about their issues
Sabotage
sometimes workers may do things such as damage machinery or make public statements that negatively
affect the company to make money
