Answering the Questions Concerning the Labor Relations Process - Assignment Example

? Labor Relations Chapter 1. Exhibit 1 illustrates the focal point of the labor relations process and many variables that affect the process. Select an academic discipline such as political science, economic or sociology and indicate three specific ways the discipline could add insights into the labor relations process. It is crucial that any academic discipline that enables research, investigation, and commentary is able to generate applicable insights. Through sociology, labor relations have been scrutinized through the alienation of employees. Through sociology, the labor relations can be added insight be ensuring that the employers and employees have a good working relationship (Wolters, et al 5). This can be done through involving the workers in decisions they make hence making the workers comfortable while working. Moreover, through sociology, the labor relations can be added insight by ensuring that workers are subjected to better working conditions. These can be given through ample time to rest and paying them incase they are working overtime. Other issues could include paid holidays, office retreats among others. Sociology can contribute to labor relations by ensuring that workers have better pays. That is they are paid according to their level of education, as well as being granted promotions where necessarily. It is also important that they are given an opportunity to involve and engage themselves in unions where they can share experiences as per their job descriptions. 2. Think about a job you have performed and discuss some of the external variables that influenced the work rules required on that job. There are several external variables that influence the work rules, they include; upcoming opportunities, social group, family and personal influences. Upcoming opportunities that people come across outside their current working places, and want to try them. They find better paying jobs, which at times tempt them to move to greener pastures. The family plays a big role as it helps influence the individual in areas of interest especially in sales with different family members giving encouragements and advices (Wolters, et al 6). Social group is another external variable that helps through the form of interactions with one another. These social groups have many functions especially in shaping the perspective of the customer and sales person’s behavior. Personal influences are important external variables as they help individuals in self realization in terms of communications with other people. This greatly affects the diffusion process especially in sales. 3. The text outlines three basic assumptions underlying the labor relations process in the United States. To what extent do you agree or disagree with these assumptions? Does your response differ depending on whether you think about the question from the perspective of an employer or an employee? I agree with the three assumptions that are underlying in the labor relations process, in the United States. This is because there has always been a conflict of interest in the economic system with the employees and employers struggling to meet and advance their own self –interests (Wolters, et al 7). Essentially, most of the interests of the employees are done through the collective bargain process as they seek to advance on their salaries, working conditions and the security of their jobs. On the other hand, the employers seek to maximize their returns on the capital invested, as well as, improving their economic status. All these issues have led to the sustainability of organizations, which cannot be done without both parties. However, thinking from the employees’ perspective, the employers need to understand the employees with more cautiousness than they have done in these assumptions. They should give them the freedom to be in unions and include them in most of the decision making process of the organizations because organizations cannot operate without a work force. 4. Discuss your opinion regarding whether unions are still relevant and necessary in today’s work environment. What other means might be used to ensure “employee voice” in the workplace? Unions are still important and relevant in today’s labor relations because the conflict of interest between the employers and the employees continually exist. Hence, employees must work collectively in ensuring that their grievances are heard and met. Furthermore, it has been assumed that most of the issues concerning employees are best solved through unions (Wolters, et al 8). One means of ensuring that ‘employees voices’ is present in work places is ensuring that employees are incorporated and allowed to participate in decision making that concern them. This ensures that they are aware of what is happening in the work place as pertaining to changes and implementations. 5. Can an individual be both pro-union and pro-employer, or does being pro-union mean one has to be anti-employer? Can an individual be anti-union and still legitimately claim to support pro-employee interests? An individual can be both a pro-union and pro employer if indeed he /she supports the well-being of the employees at all cost hence does not necessarily mean that one has to be anti employer when he /she supports unions (Wolters, et al 9). However, an individual cannot be anti –union and still legitimately claim to support pro–employee interest because most of the employees’ interests are aired through the unions. Chapter 2 1. Discuss the similarities and differences between the Knights of Labor (KOL) and the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). During the period of 1869 to World War 1, there was emergence of three national organizations. Two of them were the Knight of Labor (KOL) and the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) Similarities These labor organizations emerged to help fight for the labor rights of the people of America. They had similar criteria for assessing the strengths or the success of labor organizations, which included the drive for an eight hour workday (Wolters, et al 46). Differences The Knight of Labor (KOL) was founded as a secret society in 1869 to 1882 to avoid its members from being discharged by their employers because of participating in a labor organization. It was the national union that had a scope of larger than any other previous labor union in America’s history with a steady growth of up to 100,000. It attracted members who were not satisfied with several features that were associated with the new industrial revolution, which dramatically altered work practices and relationships, which married with the inception of the Civil war. Moreover, KOL had two major, interrelated goals which were; changing of existing labor management relationship so as to avoid depersonalized and specialized aspect of the mass production and also attain moral betterment for employees and the society (Wolters, et al 47). Conversely, the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) was formed as an alternative to the AFL in 1905.It signified the most solemn effort in America to organize workers on the basis of radical political ideology with an aim of bringing down the existing system that entails capitalism, which believed that employees and employers had nothing in common. Moreover, IWW wanted to remove any societal aspect that supported capitalism by use of any method that could quickly destruct capitalism. 2. Select an existing national union and use the four criteria mentioned in the introduction of this chapter for evaluating the strengths of that labor organization. Using the same criteria, discuss why the AFL survived and the IWW faded into obscurity. The America Federation Labor (AFL) had four criteria. It ensured that it had an organization structure and was stable financially. It was able to work within the established political and economic system and of most important was the wage system in America. Moreover, it was supportive in the public opinion and hence the ability to identify and satisfy the goals and interests of the members (Wolters, et al 39). Conversely, the IWW had issues such as financial instability and was not able to satisfy the goals and interest of the members leading to it fading into obscurity. 3. Explain how the Haymarket Riot, Homestead strike, and Pullman strike helped as well as hurt the AFL. The American Federation of Labor (AFL) through the Haymarket Riot, Homestead strike and the Pullman strike was able to place support in its collective efforts of tactics, in economic pressure, especially in the bargaining for better payment for the workers’ wages (Wolters, et al 42). This enhanced the public status and reputation of organized labor and collective bargaining process, which was emphasized through the numerous strikes that were staged by these movements. However, these strikes became a hurt to the AFL when they became unruly and led to much destruction in America, which entailed the destruction of railroads and the killing of several people. Eventually, the leaders of the AFL were arrested and convicted for the crimes (Wolters, et al 47). They were later imprisoned. The workers, on the other hand, experienced a cut in their wages. 4. Discuss some employer tactic used to prevent or minimize union membership growth prior to the passage of the National Labor Relations (Wagner) Act in 1935.Which, if any, of these tactics would be lawful today? Several tactics were used by employers before the passage of the Wagner Act in 1935. One major tactic was a threat to intimidation from employers when the employees wanted to get involved or join unions. This made the employees fear for their work and decided to back out (Wolters, et al 65). In addition, the employers would give some incentives like petty cash and allowances for over time to try and blindfold the employees hence leaving them with no particular issue to air through the labor unions. 5. Discuss some key similarities and differences between the AFL and the CIO. The similarities between AFL and CIO emerged when the two come together especially with the recognition of the ineffectiveness of union raiding especially when they tried to organize employees affiliated with both unions. Another similar goal was the desire of both organizations to reward the political friends and give punishments to their political enemies (Wolters, et al 68). The difference between the AFL and the CIO is they had different missions in their fight against the poor working conditions. 6. In your opinion, does having two different existing labor federations (AFL-CIO and Change to Win) strengthen or weaken the ability of organized labor to represent the interests of employees today? The main purpose of labor federations is to act as the weapon for the employees especially with work based issues. It is for this reason that it is important to have one existing labor federation that has all the issues incorporated. The existence of two different existing labor federations, in this case AFL-CIO and Change to Win plays a big role in weakening the ability of organized labor to represent the interest of employees today because is easier to work with one federation, which analysis the interests of the employees and makes it more easier to air their grievances as compared to two different federations, which might seem to be at logger heads. 7. Some experts predict that, in the future, there are likely to be fewer but larger labor organizations. Discuss some advantages and disadvantages of the so called One Big Union approach to representing employees’ interests. With the increasing conflict of interest between the employees and employers, it is evident that there is a likelihood of having fewer but larger labor organizations. The one big union approach to representing employees’ interests has some advantages and disadvantages. The advantages associated with the one big union approach include solidarity, job security, increased wages and benefits (Wolters, et al 69). Solidarity among employees especially those working in large firms where it serves as a transformation for a group of atomized employees into one employer with whom management has no choice but to negotiate as compared to one employee versus the employer. One big union also ensures that there is job security for employees especially in situations where there is illegal dismissal or firing at work place. The union also gives financial assistances to employee when they are not stable. Moreover, the union ensures that every employee who is a member has the privilege of increasing wages and benefits through collective bargains. Conversely, one big union has disadvantages that it is associated with. They include limited workplace flexibility, union dues and minority. Incase, an employee is a member of a labor union gives him/her no choice but to abide by the rules of the, which sometimes limit the flexibility of the workforce. Moreover, each employee has to pay a substantial due to the union and the issue of minor voices being present in such unions can not be ignored because not all interests of each member of the union can be hear or addressed. Works cited: Wolters, Rogers, et al, .The Labor Relations Process. Mason, Ohio: South-Western Cengage Learning.2009. Read More