Changes Required for Unions to Maintain Support from their Membership - Term Paper Example

Human Resource (HR), changes required for unions to maintain support from their membership, the community, and employers TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Introduction 2 Labour Relations Theories 3 Unitary Approach 3 Pluralist Approach 4 5 Marxist Approach 5 Challenges faced by unions in 21st century 5 Future of Labour Union 6 Reference 10 Introduction Industrial relation came into wide use in the 1920s in “Britain and North America.” Industrial relations define the interrelationship between the employee and the employer and how particular decisions define and shape employee relationship. The objective of industrial relations is to ensure that the interest of both parties’ i.e. employee and employer were secured among others. Workers formed the labour union to pursue common work relate goals such a better wages and benefits, safer working condition and greater job security. In the 1960s, improved communication and collaboration saw increased growth in the power of labour unions as a counterbalance to powerful employer, in both the public and private sectors. The emphasis was on industrial relations; keeping the workers at work. People management professionals began to be looked upon as neither management nor unions but as independent arbitrators between the two. The relationship between the employer and the employee was often adversarial, and the power of trade unions was strong. Labour Relations Theories Unitary Approach The unitary view assumes that the group is a sub-system of a large system with an integrated group of people within the business environment sharing common values, interest and goals. Unitarism was drawn from the research and work of Talcot Parsons; he was concerned with ways to maintain order in society. According to Parsons (1966), “Society is a unified system whose various parts are interdependent.” The interdependence produces social order. The group acts in the interest of both the employees and employer thus act in the general good of all parties. There is thus no conflict or exploitative power. Employees, therefore, obey the authority structure and are absolutely loyal to the management; they perform a task without complaining as their interests have been taken into consideration. Unitarians believe that there exist no conflict between management and employees. Unitarism takes an implicit approach about the state. Since it is inclined more towards managerial legitimation and comments fewer about the state, such silence shows a form of voluntarism. Any intrusion by outside forces is seen as interference. Thus, trade unions portray an image of subversive, greed and ignorance of elementary economics. State intrusion into labour relation affairs has been viewed as aggressive. Other than providing an enabling business environment the state should distance itself from industrial relations activities. However it becomes an irony when unitarist who are against state interference benefit from a state policy such as regulation that restricts unions in terms of their organization rights and the potential for industrial action (e.g. Anti-strike legislation) are supported by unitarist. Pluralist Approach The pluralist view assumed that employees and employers differed in values, interests and objectives, the organization experienced widespread distribution of power and authority; management was separated from ownership and firms accepted industrial conflict. This approach showed resistances among some groups within the work environment. Conflict between both parties was rational and inevitable. This prompted the need for labour relations, which would negotiate, in case of conflict. Labour relations, according to pluralist approach were used to identify differences of interest, organization tensions and reconcile them through particular processes to come up with solutions to resolve the conflict. Within the pluralist approach, the role of the state has been clearly defined. Pluralists prefer a neutral, mediating state. Such neutrality has been exhibited through its role as an impartial mediator promoting social order through consensus. The consensus lies in the framework of rules and regulations which govern conflict resolution. Conflict between management and workforce was resolved through collective bargaining while, in the wider society it was expressed through tripartism. Tripartism assumes that the state, employers’ organization, and trade unions work together to formulate policies of social and economic nature. According to Neville Rubin (ILO, 1993), “Ideally real tripartism would usually mean certain balance between state, employees and employers with no party exercising dominant power over the other.” Marxist Approach Marxist approach is also may imply radical or conflict perspective. According to the Marxist the state is responsible for ensuring that the capitalist class in a capitalist society holds firm ruling positions. Their dominance was formed by the ability of the state to legitimize itself by portraying itself as neutral and acting in the best interest of the general society. We may note that pluralist advocate for neutrality, but as per the radical approach it becomes a legitimating ideology. Government does not always succeed in delivering legitimacy, and if so it results to control by coercion. Employers rely on the state which passes legislation oppressive to the worker. Employees have to rely on labour unions, to act as a mediator between them and the employer before resulting to further action. Challenges faced by unions in 21st century Declining number of union members in the private sector, some employers, are using antiunion tactics to discredit union membership, plant owners use threats to discourage efforts to join trade unions, some threaten to halt plant operation if the union tries to organize their workers. In the US, the trend can partially be blamed to the change in structure of the US economy. The traditional manufacturing base of the economy in the US has been declining due to foreign competition. The decline has offset the low membership as it has been the unions’ stronghold. Socialistic statutes, most unions still uphold previous organization structures and statutes. Such statutes amount to an exclusion process, this implies that a worker can only receive union membership within a company union; this means that if a company union does not exist then one cannot become a member. In the view that, more medium and small enterprises are coming up it means that a large number of salaried workers remain without a trade union. Contract employees or temporary employees, companies, are adopting this strategy as a means towards cutting wage bill cost. Firms are employing workers on need basis, once they have outlived their purpose they were laid off. Large numbers of countries do not have legislation in place to protect the rights of temporary employees this leaves them at the hands of their employers. Trade unions encounter problems in trying to persuade such employees to join them. Increasing levels of Entrepreneurship, employed persons are quitting paying jobs to establish their own firms. They cease to be normal wage earners. Vast numbers of trade unions are dependent on employees, and once they stop being classic wage earners, they may withdraw membership from the union Future of Labour Union Issues to look out for include; why people may join or stay away from trade unions, what means trade unions are using to recruit members and issues that the unions might champion on. Labour unions have failed to recognize that the 21st century workplace is knowledge based, educated, young, performance driven, no job security, more contract employment, and increasing entrepreneurship orientation. They have failed to develop programmatic platform to win the support of the new worker and present their capability to defend the workers interest. Trade unions have lost their influence; they are a shade of whom they were 20 years ago. Such reason and many others prompt me to conclude that trade unions have a grim future ahead. Union influence in the private sector has declined industries that have been traditionally been unionized, such as manufacturing and engineering are declining unions have been slow to respond to the change thus workers in new and growing industries have not sought membership. Trade unions have been reluctant to approach players of the new industries to convince workers of the benefits they stand to gain if they have union representation. Employee voice and representation, according to William Brown and David Marsden, “firm by firm and sector by sector, employees have responded to stiff competition by tightening controls over work, and are reluctant to deal with trade unions at all or to do so on the basis that their role is one of passive consultation or positive contribution to improved productivity.” The increase of employer endorsed forms of workers participation and representation are also symptomatic of this trend. Work place with some form of worker voice mechanism remained stable over time. This represents a shift in employer preference. Labour market fragmentation, a fragmented labour market, has contributed to weakened union power, the shift towards individual contracts and enterprise bargaining and the trend to outsource non-core firm activity to other firms (cleaning, security). Despite the gloomy picture trade unions still have a chance of survival if they make certain changes that promote unionism. Trade unions need to respond by revitalization strategies focusing on partnership, organizing and workplace learning. Trade unions need to have their work focus on personal persuasion and physical proximity to union functionalities and members. The unions need to spread and open membership to the growing Medium and small enterprises workers and assure them of union representation in solving work conflict. Trade unions should develop their own visions; they are supposed to take a firm stand in order to improve living conditions of their members and legal framework. Unions that develop a vision to represent members fully and provide assurance has better chances of attracting and retaining the support new members and existing members respectively. Trade unions should aim at having an international outlook. A cliché goes ‘Think globally, act locally!’ this applies to everyday union existence. Cooperation with foreign unions gives it an upper hand. Additionally participating in international processes and being part of a global labour union. Trade unions should build alliances with societal groups and civil society groups (Charity and advocacy organizations) to reach an indirect employee (contract worker) e.g. In London, the ‘living wage’ campaign demonstrates a good coordinated action between unions and community organizations. The initiative has advocated better pay and working conditions for contract workers (cleaners). Society organizations have put pressure on banks, education institutions; health facilities, museums, resorts and state agencies to oblige cleaning service contractors to offer reasonable remuneration to their employees. Such efforts among the unions draw support from the general society. Trade unions should be responsive to new employment rights and statutory bodies; research reveals that workers in organizations where unions are present are likely to have greater capacity to defend their rights and improve their work environment conditions. They execute tasks at a better and safer environment than their non-unionized workers. Union should be ready to assert their importance through championing for employees rights. In Britain, trade unions have come up with Union Modernization Fund (UMF), the partnership fund and Union Learning Fund; these have enhanced the expansion of union activity to new spheres. UMF has contributed to cultural change within unions and helped them link with employees in the labour market more effectively while Projects undertaken under UMF have allowed trade unions initiate strategies for representing the needs of a more diverse workforce. Trade unions should integrate learning and skills towards management to enhance chances of recognizing various employees’ needs and developing means of equal representation. Trade unions should engage procurement policies of large established firms to influence employment practices of their suppliers. Single employer model of employment law in Britain gives management operating in cost-competitive, non-unionized industry huge financial incentive to resist union activities. Convincing large enterprises to have contact with only the suppliers who are compliant with basic labour standards as a prerequisite of their commercial agreements is the main objective of these strategies. Employees too will want to have contact with trade unions, which are conversant, with their needs for better pay and a good and safe working environment. Support of members, society and the state is vital for union existence; thus it should distance itself from management conflict but promote democracy, assertiveness, presence and active membership. Reference Bach, S. and Winchester, D. (2003), “Industrial relations in the public sector.” Industrial Relations: Theory and Practice, 2nd Edition. Bluen, S. 1984. “Industrial relations: Approaches and ideologies.” Unpublished paper, The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. Brown, W., Marginson, P. and Walsh, J. (1995), “Management, pay determination and collective bargaining.” industrial Relations in Theory and Practice in, Britain. Brown, W., Marginson, P. and Walsh, J. (2003), “The management of pay as the influence of collective bargaining diminishes.” Industrial Relations: Theory and Practice, 2nd Edition. Ronald G. Ehrenberg and Robert S. Smith, Modern Labor Economics, 8th ed. (Boston: Addison-Wesley, 2003). Union Membership Trends in the United States, by Gerald Meyer, Congressional Resource Service Report for Congress, August 31, 2004. Read More