Unions Labor Relations The role importance of unions

Unions & Labor Relations • The role & importance of unions in organizations • Reasons for joining a union • History & legislation of unionization in U. S. • Structure of unions in the U. S.

Role of Unions in Industry • Improve working conditions & economics of members & non-members • Improve work security from market, economic, technological & managerial threats • Improve power relations • Provide a structure to protect against arbitrary & capricious policies & practices

Union Goals • Power – Key industries – Political activity • Growth

Reasons for Joining a Union • Dissatisfaction – Compensation – Job security – Working conditions – Management attitudes • Socialization • Union-shops

Job Satisfaction & Voting for A Union • • Wage Satisfaction Supervisors play favorites Overall satisfaction Satisfied with job security Good promotion chances Fringe benefit satisfaction Supervisors show appreciation -. 40 -. 34 -. 36 -. 42 -. 30 -. 31 -. 30

Legal Framework • • • The Wagner Act -- 1935 Taft-Hartley Act -- 1947 Landrum Griffith Act -- 1959 Right to work laws NLRB vs Electromation -- 1993

Union membership In U. S. (in millions) • • Union Teamsters UAW Steelworkers Electrical workers Machinists ILGWU 1976 1. 8 1. 4 1. 1. 8. 75. 4 1993 1. 5. 75. 4. 7. 45. 2

Reasons for Decline in Membership • • • New collar workers in high tech industries Worker mobility High tech industries empower workers Shrinkage in old industries The graying of the work force The small blip up (politics, salting & flooding)

Public Sector Unions • Forty percent of employees represented compared with ten percent in the private sector • Acceptance of employee involvement • Title VII of the 1978 Civil Service Reform

Organization of Unions • Locals -- collects dues, elects officers & shop steward, handles grievances and discipline – Craft and Industrial Unions • National -- Handles negotiations, strike funds, health insurance and pensions • AFL-CIO

Backwards & Forwards • Summing up: We covered unions in industry ranging from the role & goals of unions, to reasons for joining or not, a look at history & legislation that surround unionization in the US & its status today in private and public sectors. We finished with an overview union structure. • Looking ahead: Next time we continue with unions & labor relations by examining how a company gets organized, & how contracts get bargained & administered. We’ll also look at future trends.