HR Management Ch. 11

Labor Relations Issues

"Replacement" sources of labor Contingent Workers Living Wage Rates Impact of Technology

The National labor Relations Act (or Wagner Act)

(1935) help control and legislate collective bargaining between organizaitons and labor unions, to grant power to labor unions, and to put unions on a more equal footing with managers in terms of the rights of employees.

Labor management Relations Act (or Taft-Hartley Act)

(1947) - President Harry Truman - railroad workers were threatening to go on strike. He threatened to have military to stop the workers from striking. This act was a response to public outcries against a wide variety of strikes in the years after WWII; its purpose was to cutail and limit union practices. Outlawed closed shop. Allowed states to pass a right-to-work act.

Steps in Unionization

1. Figure some interest in joining a union. 2. National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is asked to define the bargaining unit. 3. strive to get 30 percent of the eligible workers withing the bargaining unit to sign authorization cards requesting a certification election. 4. petition the NLRB to conduct an election 5. create a set of rules and regulations that govern the conduct of the union.

What are the three critical points that both parties establish before negotiating?

1. Maximum limit (minimum for union) 2. Expectation 3. desired result on items being negotiated. (most it can reasonably expect for union)

What are two categories of items that may be dealt with during labor contract negotiations?

1. mandatory items 2. permissive items

Decertification of Unions

1. no labor contract can currently be in force (that is, the revious agreement must have expired and a new one is awaiting approval) 2. the union must have served as the official bargaining agent for the employees for at least 1 year. ` 3. NLRB conducts a decertification, if majority votes it out, the union is then removed as the official bargaining agent for the unit. steps are the same as unionization just reverse.

American Federation of Labor (AF of L)

1886 by Samuel Gompers another early union. not about political stuff. worried about better working conditions and better contracts.

Landrum-Griffin Act (Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act)

1959 focused on eliminating various unethical, illegal, and undermocratic union practices. REQUIRES 1. national labor unions elect new leaders at least once every 5 years 2. convicted felons cannot hold national union office.

Labor Union

A legally constituted group of individuals working together to achieve shared job-related goals.

Impasse

A situation in which one or both parties believe that reaching an agreement is not imminent.

Closed Shop

A workplace in which only workers who are already union members may be hired by the employer.

AFL-CIO

AF of L and CIO merged together with around 15 million members to fight the fight against unions but some unhappiness was created and some major sets from the entire union broke apart to go on their own.

National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)

Administers most labor law in the US. oversees elections. defines the units with which managers must collectively bargain. Came from the Taft-Hartley Act.

Problems that the internet presents for labor unions

Computers and technology reduce the number of employees required. Unions have no input when operations move overseas for cheaper labor costs.

6 types of Union-Management Relations

Conflict Armed Truce Power Bargaining Accommodation Cooperation Collusion

Collective Bargaining Contracts

Define how the provisions of the labor agreement will be administered and enforced: Seniority Overtime allocations Job classifications

Shop Steward

Elected position in a local union, is a regular employee who functions as a liasison between union members and supervisors.

How should management prepare for negotiations?

Financial Health of Org. Check similar contracts of similar firms Consider Long-Term effects of the contracts formed.

Knights of Labor

First bigtime union in the US. (1869) An important early union that expanded its goals and its membership to include workers in numerous fields rather than a single industry.

Union Shop Agreements

Included various tupes of union securty agreements in addition to a requirement that a nonunion member can be hired, although he or she must join the union within a specified time to keep his or her job.

Congress of Industrial Organization (CIO)

Led by John L. Lewis 1930s. first to focus on organzing employees by undusty, regardless of their craft, skills, or occupation.

What were three of the biggest unions that were formed in the 1800s?

National Typographical Union (1852) United cigar Makers (1856) National Iron Molders (1859)

Mediation

Neutral Third Party - Mediator listens to and reviews the info presented by both sides and then makes an informed recommendation and provides advice to both parties about what she or he believes should be done.

Lockout

Occurs when an employer denies employees access to the workplace.

Bargaining Unit

Refers to the specifically defined group of employees who are eligible for representation by the union.

Collective Bargaining

The process by which managers and union leaders negotiate acceptable terms and conditions of employment for those workers represented by the unions.

Labor Relations

The process of dealing with employees who are represented by a union.

Why do employees unionize?

They believe they will be better off as a union. pay cuts job dissatisfaction poor working environments job security stronger as a group- union will make their jobs better

How Has Technology Been Positive for Unions

Unions can communicate more easily with members. Prospective members are easily reached in spite of no-solicitation rules.

Locals (Local Unions)

Unions organized at the level of a single company, plant, or small geographic region.

Boycott

When union members agree not to buy the products of a targeted employer.

Picketing

When workers representing the untion march at the entrance to the employer's facility with signs explaining their reasons for striking.

Wildcat Strike

When workers suddenly go on strike, without the authorization of the striker's union and while a binding labor agreement is still in effect.

Collusion

both cooperate to the point of adversity

Final-Offer Arbitration

both parties negotiate until an impasse is met. then the two parties' final offers are submitted to the arbitrator.

Cooperation

both work together

How should Union Members prepare for negotiations?

check the employer's financial health consider the demands and expectations of its members consider contracts in similar fields

Conflict

each challenges the other

Power Bargaining

each side tries to gain

Accommodation

each tolerates the other

craft unions

each union limited itself to representing groups of workers who performed common and specific skilled jobs. were found during the Revolutionary War.

Armed Truce

each views the other as antagonistic

What are some of the goals that unions set to achieve?

higher wages enhanced benefits better working conditions

What brought the Knights of Labor down?

may 4 meeting in Chicago's Haymarket Square (1886) meeting was about establishing an 8 hour work day. violence broke out and 200 were wounded and some of the leaders were hanged.

Trends in Unions

now they are working to cooperate with managers. still remain strong in some industries. Working more to preserve jobs.

Strike

occurs when employees walk off their jobs and refuse to work .

Slowdown

occurs when workers perform their jobs at a much slower pace than normal.

Contingent Workers

on the payroll for a while but are possibly retired

"Replacement" sources of labor

overseas jobs

Employee Relations

same as collective bargaining but without the union

Impact of Technology

scares people

Permissive Items

things that can be included in collective bargaining if both parties agree. Almost anything is negotiable if both parties agree.

Arbitration

third party called the Arbitrator makes a recommendation that both parties agree to accept before the recommendation is made.

right-to-work

union security agreements

Living Wage Rates

wage that is possible to make a living off of

Mandatory Items

wages, working hours, and benefits, must be included as part of collective bargaining if either party expresses a desire to negotiate one or more of them.