Chapter #1 - Union-Management Relationships in Perspective. The labor relations process involves management and a labor organization (union). Management’s role is to represent the best interests of the company, whereas the union’s role is represent the union members (employees) interests. There are three phases to the labor relations process, recognition of the legitimate rights, negotiation of a labor agreement, and administration of the negotiated labor agreement. The focal points of the process include three major elements, negotiation and administration of work rules, key participants in the process, and constraints that affect the parties in negotiating and administering the work rules. To fully understand the labor relations system, …show more content…
These three labor organizations had very different goals and strategies. The Knights of Labor was a national union that had a scope larger than any previous union. The KOL attracted members that were unhappy with the industrial revolution. Their goal was to change the existing labor-management relationship to reduce mass production and attain improve moral rights for employees and society. The AFL was formed after several members of KOL were expelled. Unlike the KOL, the AFL was not a national union. “The AFL represented a federation of national unions cooperating for mutual gain while permitting each national union to maintain independent control over its own identity and operations” (Holley, Williams, Jennings, pg. 51). The AFL’s founder, Samuel Gompers devoted his attention to ensuring the AFL had a pure and simple approach to collective bargaining. This approach had two major objectives, economic betterment for the members and the enhancement of the capitalistic system. The IWW was formed as an alternative to AFL. The initial goal of the IWW was to overthrow the existing capitalistic system by any means necessary based on the assumption that employees and employers had nothing in common. The IWW also sought to remove any societal aspect of group that supported capitalism. This approach …show more content…
economy (National Labor Relations Board, 2017).” The Act also established the National Labor Relations Board made up of three members appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate-to enforce employee rights rather than to mediate disputes. It gave employees the right, under Section 7, to form and join unions, and it obligated employers to bargain collectively with unions selected by a majority of the employees in an appropriate bargaining
The ethical issue in this situation is the willingness of the company’s director to prevent the employees from organizing in union. Among others, the company’s director try to use unfair tactic like diversion, intimidation, manipulation, termination of job contract and threat to shut down the company leading to massive loss of job. In an ethical standpoint, these tactics are wrong.
In 1794 organized labor unions were formed to protect workers from poor working conditions and low wages. The Knights of Labor and the American Federation of Labor were formed in the late 1800’s. Difference Between Knights of Labor and AFL? Both the Knights of Labor and The American Federation of Labor original goals were to improve working conditions for employees. Although the unions started out separately, during hard times and low membership they had to combine worker unions to regain their strength.
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...
The craft workers were successful in organizing because unlike the unskilled workers, they could not be replaced easily. This union bargained for things such as 8 hour work days, higher wages and did not deal with social reforms. Women’s wages were not considered because the AFL dealt only with craftsmen. The labor movement was both successful in aiding the worker, but also ineffective in other cases. Its primary concerns were regulating wages and working conditions/guidelines but included many other desires that worked in favor of everyone in the union.
Beginning in the late 1700’s and growing rapidly even today, labor unions form the backbone for the American workforce and continue to fight for the common interests of workers around the country. As we look at the history of these unions, we see powerful individuals such as Terrence Powderly, Samuel Gompers, and Eugene Debs rise up as leaders in a newfound movement that protected the rights of the common worker and ensured better wages, more reasonable hours, and safer working conditions for those people (History). The rise of these labor unions also warranted new legislation that would protect against child labor in factories and give health benefits to workers who were either retired or injured, but everyone was not on board with the idea of foundations working to protect the interests of the common worker. Conflict with their industries lead to many strikes across the country in the coal, steel, and railroad industries, and several of these would ultimately end up leading to bloodshed. However, the existence of labor unions in the United States and their influence on their respective industries still resonates today, and many of our modern ideals that we have today carry over from what these labor unions fought for during through the Industrial Revolution.
The organization was distinctive for is time. There were other labor unions, but the Knights supported trade craftsmen, common laborers, and worked for the well being of both. According to Dessler (2011) “the Knights of Labor had engaged in a class struggle to alter the form of society, and thereby get a bigger chunk of benefits for its members” (p.544-545). In contrast the American Federation of Labor (AFL) concentrated on practical concerns. “Samuel Gompers aimed to reach the same goal by raising day-to-day wages and improving working conditions” (Dessler, 2011, p. 545). Rituals and rites, secrecy, and a belief that labor was a key component to the industry of the country and as such should also have a voice in the organizations, community, and country the supported the ideas of their organization.
This paper will focus on one particular agency, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The NRLB was created by the 1935 National Labor Relations Act, also known as the Wagner Act. Besides creating the NLRB, the Act also provides three other key provisions:
The American Federation of Labor was an association of trade unions starting 1886, rising out of an earlier Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions founded in 1881. The AFL's president, Samuel Gompers, was convinced that unions open to workers of all types of skills within a given industry,called industrial unions,were too undisciplined to withstand the tactics that both government and management had used to break American unions in the past. The answer, was craft unions, each limited to the skilled workers in a single trade. According to Gompers's "pure and simple unionism," labor should not waste its energies fighting capitalism; I ts sole task was to hammer out the best arrangement it could under the existing system, using strikes, boycotts, and negotiations to win better work conditions, higher wages, and union recognition.
Labor unions were established as a way for workers’ needs and grievances to be heard by management. According to Fossum (2012), “forming a union creates a collective voice to influence change at work” (p. 7). The collective voice of workers in a union holds much more power than any single employee’s voice. It can loudly draw attention to mistreatment or abuse of workers. The organized collective voice of workers demands to be treated in a fair way by its management in terms of wages, hours, benefits, and working conditions.
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).
These conditions led to massive anger. Workers were joining unions like the American Federation of Labor (AFL) in growing numbers, seeking a solution to their difficult circumstances. Unfortunately, the AFL leadership tried to win favor with the bosses by siding with them and rigging the union structures to maintain their privileged positions. But these lead to defeats for the workers and there demands.
At this point in time, our company is non-union and believes the disadvantages of unionization to be greater than those benefits which may come from it. Many of the benefits which are supposed to come from unionization are canceled by various disadvantages. Additionally there are several, negative effects brought on by joining labor unions which should make any employee think long and hard before they begin the process of joining a union.
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.
Employers respond to unions in a negative way and discourage employees from joining unions as unions fight for extra pay, extra work hours and additional benefits for employees. Many employers ignore employee’s interest in joining a union as they believe that trade union have to play their role effectively as there are rising pressure on employers to deteriorate collective bargaining on wages, working conditions and job security. The tactics of employers has a significant impact on the choices made by unions. The relationship between the employers and unions is built on the power imbalance in the workplace. A union is formed for the purpose to negotiate with an employer or employees over working conditions, wages, and the term and condition
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).