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Collective bargaining and unions
Collective bargaining in the workplace
The role of unions presently
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A question that has frequently been ask over the years is, " Why should we care about collective bargaining? ". The thing that has been missing from the collective bargaining discussion is a real explanation and understanding of the concept. Collective bargaining has been described as a process when employees and their representatives form a united front, known as a union, to negotiate with their employers. These negotiations are usually over things like pay rates and salary amounts, benefits, and conditions at the workplace , among other issues. The principles of collective bargaining and unions come from the idea that employees as a group have far more bargaining power than individual employees trying to negotiate with their employer. Since collective bargaining has a basis in collaboration it is considered a very democratic process. The members of the employee union choose the issues to be bargained over and vote on if the agree to the contract proposed by their representatives and management.
There are many different subjects besides compensation that can be negotiated. These issues include a fairway to evaluate employee performance, protection for those who file grievances, proper training, opportunity for advancement, holding employers accountable, and safe work conditions among other things.
Early in American history during colonial times and into the middle of the 19th centry, relations between employers and those whom they employed were many times hostile and adversarial. Sometimes these disagreements between employee and employer would explode into violent confrontations. Workers wether skilled or not would fight with management over improved/safer working conditions, fair pay, long exhausting hours by uniting and form...
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...t with the common ideals of all basic human rights.
Bibliography
Sloane, A. (2010). Labor relations. (13th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Adler, J. (n.d.). Collective bargainingin the united states. Retrieved from http://ipma- hr.org/sites/default/files/pdf/hrcenter/collectiveBargaining/cpr_cb_adler.pdf
Investopedia. (2014). Collective bargaining. Retrieved from http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/collective-bargaining.asp
Dunlop, J. (n.d.). The bargaining table. Retrieved from http://www.dol.gov/dol/aboutdol/history/amworkerconclusion.htm
Sun, L. (2014). Collective bargaining. Retrieved from http://www.businessdictionary.com/article/393/collective-bargaining/
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To conclude this analysis on the basis of the labor’s extensive history, Sloane & Witney (2010) propose, “it is entirely possible that labor’s remarkable staying power has been because of the simple fact that to many workers, from the nineteenth century to the present, there really has been no acceptable substitute for collective bargaining as a means of maintaining and improving employment conditions” (p.80). In the end, it is important to anticipate unions and employers presently work together to find solutions that will enhance collective bargaining strategies and practices to serve the interest of both parties.
David Brody argues that the rise of contractual or collective bargaining relationships during the post WWII era formalized the relationship between employers and unions, but simultaneously began to put a break on shop floor activism. Explain Brody’s argument and, where relevant, incorporate Weber’s theory of bureaucracy.
Yellin, Samuel. American Labor Struggles New York: Harcourt, Brace and Co. 1936; Reprinted New York: Arno Press, 1970.
Union affiliation was first seen in the 1600’s when the roots of the United States were just being planted with skilled trade groups such as artisans, laborers, goldsmiths and printers. Over the next two hundred years, unions developed their desires for higher wages through the use of strikes and protests. The nation’s progress spurred the need for more labor and so began the Industrial Revolution. During the Revolution, many union members began to witness the power that employers had and as a result decided to make use of the concept of power in numbers. The National Labor Union formed in 1866 and worked to persuade congress to set a Federal eight-hour workday, which applied to government employees (Miller). Many large unions formed following in the NLU’s footsteps and uni...
To begin, we need to look towards the first recorded instance of a labor union in the United States, a union known as the Federal Society of Journeymen Cordwainers (http://www.lovkoandking.com/federal-society-of-journeymen-cordwainers---commonwealth-v-pullis.html). In 1794, a group of cordwainers, shoemakers, in Philadelphia banded together to form the United States’ first form of organized labor union through a series of strikes....
U.S. Labor History Unionism can be described as "a continuous association of wage-earners for the purpose of maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment" (Smelser). This means that a group of workers can unite to gain more power and leverage in bargaining. The bargaining process may include many aspects but usually consists of wages, benefits, terms and conditions of employment. The notion of union came about in the 1700's. In the beginning, as it is today, workers united to "defend the autonomy and dignity of the craftsman against the growing power of the company" (Montgomery).
Throughout American history, labor unions have served to facilitate mediation between workers and employers. Workers seek to negotiate with employers for more control over their labor and its fruits. “A labor union can best be defined as an organization that exists for the purpose of representing its members to their employers regarding wages and terms and conditions of employment” (Hunter). Labor unions’ principal objectives are to increase wages, shorten work days, achieve greater benefits, and improve working conditions. Despite these goals, the early years of union formation were characterized by difficulties (Hunter).
when employees/workers want an increase in their salaries). Human recourse management also plays a role in collective bargaining; their role is to serve as the middleman between the management (employer) and the unions. Human recourse also oversee that decisions between the two parties are mutual and they make sure that the decision made are in accordance with labour laws as well as their regulations. According to Derick (1998), collective bargaining extends to all negotiations which take place between employer, a group of employers, or one or more employer organizations on one hand and more workers on the other hand
Flanagan, R. J. (2005). Has Management Strangled U.S. Unions? Journal of Labor Research, 26(1), 33-63.
Unions are organizations that negotiate with corporations, businesses and other organizations on behalf of union members. Unions raise wages of unionize workers, and also increase the compensation package in regards to benefits, retirement, etc. Unions can set a pay standard and can also be used as a standard for non-union workers. Since the Unions are for the employee they negotiate with businesses for a decent inclusive compensation package. Unions negotiate for the group and not for an individual employee. If negotiations are not met, then there is the chance of strike, this can impact the company.
Stohr, Greg. “Union Fees Debated in Supreme Court Case Over Labor Power.” Bloomberg.com. 21 January 2014. Web. 17 April 2014.
A collective bargaining agreement collectively sets the terms on which an employer offers individual work contracts to each of its employees in the bargaining unit. A bargaining agreement, also herein referred to as a labour agreement, is a legally enforceable written commitment, which states the rights and duties of all parties involved. The labour agreement should be made in good faith and is intended to be observed and not violated. The National Labour Relations Act obligates employers and unions to bargain in good faith concerning terms and conditions of employment, including hours and wages. Like any normal contract, competent parties must enter into a labour agreement. However, a labour agreement is unique from other legal contracts in that there is no consideration involved and nothing tangible is exchanged. Many, but not all, unions require formal ratification of a new labour contract by a majority membership acceptance, which is determined through vote by the members. Until majority approval of those voting in a ratification election is received, the proposed labour contract is not final. While each labour agreement is unique to the needs of an organization and its employees, most agreements include five issues: (1) Management Rights, (2) Union Security, (3) Wages and Benefits, (4) Individual Security (Seniority) Rights, and (5) Dispute Resolution. Management Rights “Management” is the process of working with people and resources to accomplish organizational goals by making the best possible use of money, time, materials and people. The management process, when properly executed, involves a wide variety of activities including planning, organizing, directing and controlling. It is management’s role to perform all of these functions in order to maximize results.
The laws and regulations surrounding Industrial Relations since the 1900’s have, at each reform, placed tighter constraints on the amount of power unions are able to exert. The reforms have also radically increased managerial prerogative, through an increased use of individual bargaining, contracts and restrictions imposed on unions (Bray and Waring, 2006). Bray and W...
Traditional literature in the field of labor relations has focused immensely on its benefit towards the employer and in the process equating it to working rules. This has been so despite the field being expected to cover the process of, labor management, union formation, and collective bargain; all which are anticipated to create a positive employer-employee relationship. This relationship is said to be positive if there exist a balance between employment functions and the rights of the laborer. Also important to note, is that this relation is equally important to the public sector as it is to the private one. Therefore, to ensure a mutually conducive labor environment exists, effective labor management process and inclusive negotiation program should be adopted (Mulve 2006; Walton, 2008).
Collective bargaining may happen in several kinds of fields, ranging politics to sports. It allows appropriate settlement of disputes and issues that benefit both parties involved, producing a result that is not one-sided. Collective bargaining is “the negotiation of wages and other conditions of employment by an organized body of employees” (Beal, Wickersham, & Kienast 5). Four issues that are probable components of a collective bargaining agreement are: