United States industrial relations - Research Paper Example

?Running Head: UNITED S INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS Topic: United s Industrial Relations Lecturer: Presentation: Introduction Industrial relation is a term widely used in work settings to refer to the relationships that exist between management, workers and their representatives, and the government. Budd (2006) views labor relations as a balance between employment relationship goals of efficiency, equity and voice on one hand and between labor rights and management on the other. The government ensures a peaceful coexistence of employers and employees and their representatives for a peaceful society. The management on the other hand, ensures business prosperity by managing labor costs, company profitability as well as productivity. In maintaining such goals, employers often conflict with employees regarding work conditions and it is the duty of worker representatives or trade unions to ensure the rights of workers are not infringed. They therefore fight for; safe work conditions, wages and benefits and against unfair labor practices. Industrial relations have a long history which is the basis of the current labor environment in the United States. Several labor movements or trade unions have developed over time from craftsmen associations to amalgamated unions and international unions and continue to fight for workers rights to date as work environment changes due to globalization (Budd, 2006). Change in government leadership also affects industrial relations. Various presidents and congressmen have different views regarding labor issues; some are sympathetic to workers plight while others are less concerned hence numerous legislations have been passed which dictate the nature of relationship between employers and employees and their representatives. These legislations have a bearing on the current labor environment in the United States. The paper will thus discuss the development of labor movement and some events that changed nature of industrial relations as well as legislations enacted by the government that are crucial in governing employment relations. Labor Movement Fuller (2011) noted that industrial relations are structured into three levels. The first level involves local unions which take care of employees’ daily needs. They deal with employees of a certain locality or region. The national unions on the other hand, handle labor issues at a national level. The local unions serve as branches of the national union. The national unions are broader in nature in that they incorporate workers of all regions. The local and national unions fall under the labor federations; they incorporate all the unions. They control the activities of all unions hence give the labor movement direction. Sometimes unions cross the boundaries and unite with unions worldwide due to globalization to deal with international labor issues (Budd, 2006). Fuller (2011) also notes that the number of unionized staff has been declining over the years. He attributes this to; management attitudes towards unions move from manufacturing to service jobs which don’t require skills as well as increase in part-time jobs which make organization of labor difficult. Budd (2006) attributes the decline of union membership to the introduction of management friendly practices such as the human resource management which emphasize on worker empowerment through participation and involvement in management practices such as decision making and workplace flexibility which is achieved through team work instead of job designations. Unions are also encouraged to work in partnership with management so as to achieve efficiency. The government also restricts union growth by passing labor laws which protect the rights of workers hence reducing the importance of unions. Workers need not to join trade unions to achieve their rights. Labor in early America was characterized by the existence of European immigrants, African slaves, long working days, low wages, control of the industry by craftsmen and journeymen. Skilled labor consisted of those working as carpenters, tailors, printers, sail makers and journey persons who had learnt skills through apprenticeship. The unskilled labor was acquired from slaves, and indentured servants. Some workers worked voluntarily while others like slaves were forced to work under poor work conditions (McNeese, 2008). There were few labor organizations that existed which were mainly craftsmen associations who acted to safeguard their interests. They fixed labor prices, provided sick benefits and assisted those in need with small loans to advance their businesses (27). The first labor unions were prompted by the American revolution of 1775-1783. The capital merchants controlled the labor in early 1800. The high cost of living accompanied by merchants demand for wage reduction prompted the need for economic protection by the workers hence the formation of organizations. The unions urged employees to shun employers who paid lower wage and encouraged employers to hire only members of the unions or associations and also introduced collective bargaining on behalf of laborers. Collective bargaining is still in existence today for unionizable staff. As workers formed associations to protect themselves, the employers on the other hand, sought court protection against the associations. For example, the cordwainers (shoemakers) combined to demand for higher wages but a Pennsylvania courts found them guilty of criminal conspiracy and the leaders were jailed (King, 2011). The leaders of the sailors’ strike of 1802 were also jailed. According to Ely (2005), the labor organizations were formed by workers of the same trade. In 1803, the New York society of journey men shipwrights was formed and carpenters formed own organizations in 1806. In 1822, organizations were formed outside New York such as; Columbian charitable society of shipwrights and caulkers of Boston and Charleston. Their role was to handle funds, inventions, help fellow workers with loans and help the unfortunate mechanics, the unions were thus humanitarian. In 1817, the Typographical Society of New York was formed and catered for all unions in New York State. The members included; blacksmiths, shoemakers and carpenters under leadership of Throws Weed who helped to secure its incorporation. George Henry Evans and his younger brother Frederick Evans were instrumental in shaping industrial relations. A labor press titled ‘workingman’s Advocate’ was published in 1825-1830 in New York and formed the ideologies for labor movement (Ely, 2005). Most of the demands sought for in the ‘young America’ are being sought today such as demand for equality between men and women. They saw political organizations as the only remedy to their problems hence elected a democratic leader (Andrew Jackson) to power who was sympathetic to worker’s plight from 1829-1841. In 1825-1861, general trade unions began to emerge. Most of these unions were fighting for; reduction in hours of work to ten and eight hours for women and children, improvement of education system, a lien law for journey men mechanics, and abolition of combination laws. Working hours laws were passed for the public sector in 1840 although not fully followed, people work longer hours even today. One of the general trade unions to be formed was National Typographical union in 1852 later to International Typographical union in 1869. Others were; National Trade Association of Hat Finishers in 1854, Machinist and Blacksmiths union 1859, amalgamated association of iron and steel workers in 1876 and Mechanical Engineers of the USA (Kaufman, 1993). After the civil war, labor movement intensified due to improved communication and transport. The period 1861-1886 dealt with such labor problems as; free laborers work conditions, fluctuating currency. Organizations formed were; The Brotherhood of the foot-board by locomotive engineers in 1863 and later renamed to Grand International Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers in 1864. Many more national and international organizations were formed each with its own demands. The knights of labor organization formed in 1869 included all skilled and unskilled laborers as the economy moved from manufacturing to service sector and industrialization. This is due to new technologies that rendered those traditional skills useless hence the skilled craftsmen and journeymen become unskilled. The movement was thus to protect themselves against such labor practices and protect unions fro being eroded (Ely, 2005). The union sought to unionize women who were rarely represented. The movement organized the Haymarket square confrontation in 1886 to demand for an 8hr working day. International workingman’s association gathered workers outside McCormick harvester works where workers on strike and confronted those who had replaced the striking workers. The police were called in and some workers died while some policemen were bombed (Kochan, Katz & McKersie, 1994). It declined after formation of American federation of Labor (AFL) in 1886. The industrial worker of the world was formed in 1905 by opposers of AFL. In 1930s, labor unions were permanent in nature and nonunion practices were also prevalent. Kochan, Katz & McKersie (1994) argue that collective bargaining was the dominant form of participation and worker representation in 1930s but in 1960s new human resource management techniques emerged which stressed direct involvement and participation of workers in management leading to declining role of unions. The congress for industrial organization (CIO) was formed in 1935 and merged with AFL to form AFL-CIO in 1955. Government Regulations Various legislations were put in place to govern the employment relationships. Some are favorable to unions but some restricted the operation of union movements. Employers used the military to contain any labor actions taken by workers and to suppress unions. They were favored Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 which banned combinations and anybody found striking was guilty of unlawful conspiracy and liable to imprisonment (King, 2011). Labor conspiracy prosecutions and injunctions rose during civil war in 1870s and 1880s as labor actions were used to deal with the effects of civil war. Employers also hired espionages to disorganize unions and as a result a commission on industrial relations was formed in 1912 to investigate the claims (Kaufman, 1993). The National Labor Relations Act of 1935 played a great role in shaping industrial relations. It gave workers rights to organize, join unions, participate in collective bargaining and restricted employers from restricting workers to join unions (Fuller, 2011). The Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 was to create more balanced relationship between labor and management and was an amendment to National Labor Relations Act (Budd, 2006). It prohibited unions from interfering with workers rights. Unions are also not supposed to coerce employees to join union. It made closed shops illegal, forbid secondary boycotts and discontinued the federal Anti-injunction Act of 1937. It was amended by Landrum-Griffin Act in 1959. The union is also supposed to bargain in good faith with the management. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited against employment discrimination on basis of race, color, religion or origin. The Equal Employment Opportunity commission also serves to ensure there is no discrimination in hiring, promotions, and firing, among others. The occupation safety and health Act of 1970 also served to regulate industrial relations. It ensured safety work conditions for employees are maintained although the number of inspectors was few. The union thus has no role in ensuring safety standards are maintained. Other legislations that minimized the role of the unions are; Employee Retirement Income Security Act and Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 which allows workers to have 12weeks of unpaid but job-protected leave in matters such as birth and illness. The employer though is not supposed to deny employee health benefits during this period (King, 2011). Conclusion Industrial relations in the United States are governed by a set of legislations. The labor movement has evolved over a period of time from the colonial era to current status but industrial relations began in the early 19th century. The earliest labor unions were formed by workers of the same trade in same location but after the civil war they began to expand. This was attributed to the development in communication and transport which enabled workers of different trades and localities to meet and join forces to protect their rights. Local unions thus joined forces to form national and international union movements which are in existence today such as the federation of unions. The labor movement encounters many struggles due to suppression by employers through court injunctions and use of armed forces and by government legislations which term combinations as unlawful. They have also managed to attain some of their goals such as reduction in working hours. The labor environment today is still characterized by interaction of government, unions, workers and employers but union involvement is not much significant as it has been overtaken by new human resource management techniques and series of Acts that govern employment relationships in organizations. References Budd, J. (2006). Labor Relations: Striking a Balance, 2 ed. USA: McGraw-Hill Ely, R. (2005). The Labor Movement in America. New York: Adamant Media Corporation. Fuller, J. (2011) ‘Industrial Relations’, Encyclopedia of Business, 2nd ed. Retrieved February 28, 2011 from http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/management/Gr-Int/Industrial-Relations.htm Kaufman, B (1993). The Origins and Evolution of the Field of Industrial Relations in the United States. New York: Cornell University Press. King, D. (2011).’ Labor Law and Legislation’. Encyclopedia of Business, 2nd ed. http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/encyclopedia/kor-man/labor-law-and-legislation.html. Kochan, T., Katz, H., Mckersie, R. (1994). The Transformation of American Industrial Relations. New York: Cornell University Press. McNeese, T. (2008). The Labor Movement: Unionizing America. New York: InfoBase Publishing. Read More