BUS110 Chapter 12

Unfair Labor Practices

1.Threatening employees with termination or cuts in benefits if they vote for a union or engage in any other activity protected by the Wagner Act or other laws 2.Threatening to close a facility if employees vote for union representation 3.Interrogating employees about union sympathies or activities in ways that could "interfere with, restrain, or coerce" employees trying to exercise their legal rights 4.Responding to organizing campaigns by offering wage or benefit improvements as a way to thwart unionization efforts 5.Punishing employees for unionization activity by transferring them, giving them more difficult work assignments, or terminating them

Union Security

Consists of measures that protect the unions right to represent workers. Types: Closed shop- an employer can hire only union members. (taft hartley outlawed) Union shop- employees don't have to be members when they are hired but they must join the union within a period of time. Agency shop- employees don't have to join the union but they must pay the equivalent of union dues.

Types of Unions

Craft unions: offer membership to workers with a specific craft or skill. Industrial unions: represent all workers at a given employer or location. The United Auto Workers (UAW) is an example.

Negotiating an Agreement

If negotiations reach an impasse outside help is needed. Mediation-- bringing an impartial third party to study the situation, explore new options, improve communication, and make recommendations for resolutions of the differences. When a legally binding settlement is needed the negotiators may submit to arbitrations-- a process in which an impartial referee listens to both sides and then makes a judgment by accepting one side's view. in compulsory arbitration, the parties are required by a government agency to submit to arbitration; in voluntary arbitration, the parties agree on their own to use arbitration to settle their differences.

Collective Bargaining Process

In collective bargaining the union and mangement negotiators work together to forge the human resources policies that will apply to all employees covered by the contract Collective bargaining agreements (CBAS) are contracts that result from this process, are always a compromise between the desires of union members and those of management.

Wagner Act

Known as the national labor relations act. It established labor relations policies and procedures for most sectors or private industry and it provisions remain a topic of ongoing controversy. under the provisions of the Wagner Act, managers are not allowed to threaten employees for engaging in union activities or to interrogate employees regarding union sympathies or voting plans.

When Negotiations Don't Work

Labor options: 1.Strikes 2.Boycotts 3.Publicity 4.Injunctions ( a court order that requires one side in a dispute to refrain from engaging in a particular action) Management options: 1.Strikebreakers- nonunion workers hired to do the jobs of striking workers 2.lockouts - management prevents union employees from entering the workplace in order to pressure the union to accept a contract proposal 3.Injunctions

Managers Perspective On Unionization

Managements top priority is making sure their firms can remain competitive. Besides direct costs, their concerns include flexibility and productivity. Union contracts often include work rules, or job rules, that specify such things as the tasks certain employees are required to do or are forbidden to do.

Labor Unions

Nothing represents the potential for stress in the stakeholder model more than labor relations which are the relationship between organized labor and business owners. If employees think they are being treated unfairly and can't get their needs met by negotiating they can job a labor union. A labor union is an organization that seeks to protect employees interests by negotiating with employers for better wages and benefits, improved working conditions, and increased job security. *Labor can refer to either unions specifically or the workforce as a whole; you can tell by the context which definition is meant. Organized labor always refers to unions. And management in a discussion of union issues refers to managers in their role as representatives of company ownership.)

Future of Labor

Private-sector union membership has been in a steady decline over the past several decades and is now at historic lows. Both sides tend to blame the other for the decline, with management saying unions don't have anything relevant to offer today's workers, and union leaders saying profit-driven management uses every tool it can to thwart union organizing. Without a major social upheaval, it seems unlikely that unions will be able to reverse the downward trend of union membership. However, the rise of nonunion worker-rights groups in the past few years presents an alternative method of campaigning on behalf of workers.

Unionization in Historical Perspective

Three major pieces of legislation passed in the 20th century still define many aspects of labor relations and the management of labor unions themselves. 1.The National Labor Relations Act of 1935, better known as the Wagner Act, gives employees the right to unionize and bargain collectively with employers and the right to strike, picket, and boycott. 2.The Labor-Management Relations Act of 1947, better known as the Taft-Hartley Act, affirms employees' rights to not participate in union activities other than union shop provisions, identifies several unfair labor practices, restricts unions' strike options, prohibits strikes in the public sector, and gives states the freedom to pass right-to-work laws. 3.The Labor-Management Reporting Act of 1959, better known as the Landrum-Griffin Act, protects members' rights within the union and limits the potential for corruption by union officials.

How Unions are Structured

Unions are organized at local, national, and international levels. Local unions represent employees in a specific geographic area or facility. National union is a nationwide organized composed of many local unions that represent employees in specific locations.

Employees Perspective of Unionization

Workers benefit from union membership: 1.Higher compensation.- According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, union members currently earn about 27 percent more than nonunion workers, 2. Greater benefits- on average union members receive better nonwage benefits such as health-care insurance, and a greater percentage of union employees receive these benefits, than nonunion employees. 3.Influence over hiring, promotions, and layoffs- Union contracts usually have specific provisions about hiring, promotions, and layoffs, particularly with regard to seniority, the length of time someone has worked for his or her current employer. 4.Working conditions and workplace safety- Many unionization efforts focus on issues of workplace safety, work breaks, training, and other aspects of life on the job. 5.Formal processes for employee grievances, discipline, and other matters- Union contracts typically spell out formal procedures for such matters as disciplining employees. 6.Solidarity and recognition- union membership can appeal to workers who feel unappreciated, humiliated, or let down by management. Why people don't want to join one: 1. Because there are already a lot of improvements they don't feel like they need to join one. (minimum wage, 40 hr workweek,abolishing childlabor etc) 2.being forced to pay union dues $25 to $75 per month), being forced to help fund (through those monthly dues) political activities they may not support, being held back in their careers by union seniority rules, and being forced to accept the union as the sole intermediary with management rather than negotiating raises, job assignments, and other matters on their own.