Labor Relations and Collective Bargaining Labor and Management
Labor Relations and Collective Bargaining
Labor and Management In United States • Labor like laborers were seen as second or third class citizens in early USA. • Collective action by unions was seen as illegal and severe action was taken to diminish its power (counter to the economic growth of the nation
• 1930 s President Franklin Delano Roosevelt sign National Industrial Recovery Act. - Start the string of legislation we have in place today
Why do people join unions? • Management sucks – Low morale – Fear of job loss – Arbitrary management actions
What do unions as an institution want? • Dollars thru more members • This done more and more through political clout not through economic power at the collective bargaining table. • Union security – Closed shop (illegal except in some industries – longshore, printing – Union shop (must join after hired) – Agency (Not required to join must pay dues) – Open shop (individual choice)
How does a private industry firm become union? • Initial contact by union – Labor relations consultants – Union salting (plants) • Obtaining authorization cards • NLRB holds a hearing to determine who can vote – Potential bargaining unit) • Campaign – No threats, bribes or coercion – Lost by: • • Not paying attention Appoint a committee to handle the campaign Focus on money issues Ignore workers and focus on automation • Election – Loose – Collective bargaining starts – Win – no union involvement for a year
Collective Bargaining • What must be negotiated? – Wages, hours and working conditions • Good faith/Bad faith bargaining – – – – Surface bargaining Inadequate concessions Inadequate proposals and demands Imposing conditions that are onerous Bypassing representative Withholding information Ignoring mandatory item or insisting of permissive item
Impasse • • Mediation Fact Finders Arbitration Strikes Boycotts Game playing Lockouts
Grievances • • • Wages, hours, working conditions Disciplinary action Overtime Plant rules Currently most are resolved through a step by step process ending in arbitration (binding on both parties)
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