workers’ and employers’ organisation, capital structure, compensation of he labour-force and a study of market forces- all at the economic level.” The above definition reveals that industrial relations arise out of employer-employee interaction in modern industries which are regulated by the Government in varying degrees. “The concept of industrial relations has been extended to denote the relations of the State with employers, workers and their organisations. The subject, therefore, includes individuals relations and joint consultation between employers and workpeople at their workplace; collective relations between employers and their organisations and trade unions and the part played by the State in regulating these relations.” Labour …show more content…
Maintenance of industrial peace and avoidance of industrial strife.
3. Promotion of industrial democracy.
1. Promotion of healthy labour-management relations- The promotion of healthy labour management relations requires the following:
a. Existence of strong, well organised, democratic and responsible trade unions and associations of the employers in the industry. These organisations enhance job security of employees, help in increased workers’ participation in decision making and give labour a dignified role in the society. These associations also tend to create vantage grounds for negotiations, consultations and discussions on a mutual basis which ultimately lead to good labour-management relations.
b. Spirit of collective bargaining- The very feeling of collective bargaining recognises equality of status between the two opposing and conflicting groups and prepares grounds in an atmosphere of trust and goodwill, for discussion, consultations and negotiations on matters of common interest to both industry and labour.
c. Labour Welfare- Welfare work-whether statutory or non-statutory-provided by the State, trade unions and the employers do create, maintain and improve healthy labour-management relations and try to achieve peace in the
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Promotion of industrial democracy- Industrial Democracy connotes that the labour should receive the right to be associated with the running of the industry. For achieving this objective, following techniques are usually adopted:
a. Establishment of the Shop Councils and Joint Management Councils at the shop floor and the plant levels. The councils endeavour to improve the working and living conditions of the employees improve productivity, to encourage suggestions from employees, assist in the administration of the laws and agreements, serve as a channel of communication between management and employees and create in the employees a sense of participation in the decision making and a sense of belonging to the industry.
b. Recognition of Human Rights in Industry. This implies that “labour is no more an article or commodity of commerce” which can be purchased and disposed of according to the sweet whims and caprices of the employers. The workers are to be treated as human beings, given a sense of self-respect and better understanding of their role in the organisation and their urge for self-expression is to be satisfied. The recognition of labour as human beings and the treatment of labour on human grounds provide the basic pre-requisites for achieving industrial
To conclude this analysis on the basis of the labor’s extensive history, Sloane & Witney (2010) propose, “it is entirely possible that labor’s remarkable staying power has been because of the simple fact that to many workers, from the nineteenth century to the present, there really has been no acceptable substitute for collective bargaining as a means of maintaining and improving employment conditions” (p.80). In the end, it is important to anticipate unions and employers presently work together to find solutions that will enhance collective bargaining strategies and practices to serve the interest of both parties.
David Brody argues that the rise of contractual or collective bargaining relationships during the post WWII era formalized the relationship between employers and unions, but simultaneously began to put a break on shop floor activism. Explain Brody’s argument and, where relevant, incorporate Weber’s theory of bureaucracy.
The primary objective of a trade union is to improve the well being of its members. They were formed to counter the superior economic power of the employers. It has long been recognised that the market dominance of employers could onl...
Union efforts to improve the lives of workers consistently met with resistance, oftentimes violent, from businesses, police and the government throughout their turbulent history; and yet unions have persevered and were able to improve working conditions. The National Labor...
The development of the current worker has as well changed the functions of unions. The normal concentration of union officials has been working on the behalf of employees when discussing with bosses, however when urbanized economies move away from a dependence on manufacturing, the line separating manager and worker becomes unclear. In addition, mechanization, computers and improved worker efficiency results in lesser number of staffs being required to sort out a similar occupation. Union insists for least pay rises that the management finally approves, if it is impossible due to the current situation then it would be granted. Smallest amount salary increases the work expenses for companies using low-skilled workers. This reduces the breach connecting the earnings proportion of less experienced and more experienced staff; staffs that are more knowledgeable are expected to be epitomized by a union. ...
Factories were known for their ill treatment of their employees, long hours and dirty and unsafe conditions. In 1866, unions started to form to improve working conditions for the workers. A fundamental problem faced by democratic societies is as long as people live their lives individually and go their separate ways and be selfish individuals, they are unlikely to meet collectively to resolve issues. There needs to be meaningful unity among people to alleviate this problem to get people obliged to one another, so there is a willingness to sacrifice for shared goals. Bonding of its citizens creates a democracy. Unions seemed to offer the middle class a chance to become a crucial part of fostering institutions of constitutional democracy. The unions have went through several transitions, but have always worked for the working force. I will discuss the history of the various unions, their wins and losses, and the struggle of the employee to achieve democracy in the workplace.
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.
Because of the industrialization of the countries, the replacement of manual labor with the use of machinery and the division of labor, the work of the proletarian has become homogeneous. It does not contain the individuality or charm of the laborer as handmade goods do. The worker instead becomes part of the machine and is reduced to performing menial, repetitive tasks. Thus, the workman's pay rate reflects his work, and is reduced to the minimum amount needed to barely sustain them. Therefore, as the skill needed to perform the job is reduced, so does the amount of the wages.
In many nations, the relationship between labor and production has often been a tense one. On one side of the equation, businesses have insisted on greater productivity at lower costs. On the other side, labor (most often in the form of labor unions) has insisted that increased productivity can be best be achieved if the workers have a reasonable “living” wage and job security (Howard 2002).
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.
Working shifts were beyond the control of the workers and the job was not necessarily stable because workers could be fired at any time for any reason (OI: “Working Conditions”). Moreover, the working environment was cramped and caused many problems to arise, such as the death of workers. The working class suffered greatly from the consequences of the Industrial Revolution. However, they also experienced many improvements in life, such as the decrease in prices of goods. The price of goods was able to decrease because of the increase in production.
The pluralistic approach accepts the legitimacy of workers forming themselves into trade unions to express their interests, influence management decision and achieve their objectives. The pluralistic approach sees conflicts of interest and disagreements between managers and workers over the distribution of profits as normal and inescapable. The role of managers/management would lean towards enforcing, controlling, persuading and coordinating. Trade unions play an important role in this approach, being that employees can join unions to protect their interests and influence decision making by the management. Trade unions balance the power between management and employees, hence its an important factor in this approach and industrial
Thomas, P.,(1959, December 19), Towards a General Theory of Industrial Relations, The Economic Weekly, p1729
There are many different approaches and theories regarding industrial relations nowadays. In order to mount an opinion on which is the ‘best’ or most appropriate theory of industrial relations, each theory will have to be analyzed. The three most prevalent theories of industrial relations which exist are The Unitarist theory, The Pluralist theory and The Marxist theory. Each offers a particular perception of workplace relations and will therefore interpret such events as workplace conflict, the role of trade unions and job regulation very differently. I will examine each of these theories in turn and then formulate my own opinion regarding which is the ‘best’ or most appropriate theory.
The Marxist approach looks at industrial relations from a societal perspective. It views industrial relations as a small-scale version of a capitalist society. This approach surrounds itself with the assumption that industrial relations under capitalism are unavoidable, and thus would be a source of conflict. According to Marxist, industrial conflict is central to industrial relations, however actual altercations are uncommon. The approach also sees this as a form ...