Labor Relations - Labor Unions - Report Example

Labor relations- labor unions Introduction Trade unions, also known as labor unions, are organizations that unite workers under unified umbrellas forpursuit of some common goals. Such goals may include better working conditions, better wages among other terms of work. Though labor unions were previously powerful across economies, their influence has significantly reduced over time, leading to the opinion that trade unions are losing popularity among workers and even the community at large. This paper seeks to the discuss status of trade unions and their future. The paper will explore some of the necessary changes that can regain unions’ support from the society, political influence on trade unions’ decline in membership, other factors that have influenced trade unions, the status of the trade unions and their future in the twenty first century. Required changes for maintaining support from union members, the community and employers Developing appropriate strategies Negative changes within organizations that result into loss of support from members are mostly identified with dissatisfaction of the members. This particularly occurs when an organization does not carry out its mandate to the members’ expectations or disregards members’ opinions in the running of the organizations. The image that is thereafter painted reflects on the society’s opinion and the consequence is an organization’s lost touch with both its members and the society at large. Trade unions have for example lost their support due to loss of interest from members and the society as well as negative opinion as developed by employers. Application of appropriate strategies in running trade unions is one of the initiatives that can facilitate maintenance and even revival of unions’ support from members, the society, and even employers. This is because using approaches that are not appreciated by members of the unions have strained membership and popularity. In a bid to regain its strength, trade unions have employed strategies that contrary the intended objectives, have discouraged, and even scared members away because of dissatisfaction. Ensuring agreement among union branches and members is another strategy that can help the unions to maintain and gain more popularity. This is because lack of agreement causes dissentions that weaken unions through lost membership or inactive memberships. The consequences of disagreements for instance include pullouts into formation of new unions that may not be as effective and popular. Ensuring agreements through democratic administration however has a potential of consolidating membership and even attracting more people into a trade union (Tebo, 2007). Improving services Improving services and commitment to members’ needs also contributes to members’ commitment to a trade union. This is because of the derived utility of the members that leads to satisfaction and reduced levels of dissentions. As a result, a trade union that meets its members need stands a high chance of retaining its members. Similarly, members’ attitudes towards a union transfer to the society because trade union members are part of the society and effectively communicate unions’ image. Effective satisfaction of members needs therefore retains the support from both members and the community. Trade unions can also develop cordial relationship with employers through ensuring rational conflict resolution that considers the employer’s status. This is because the potential causes of unions’ lost support from employers are disagreements during negotiations. Change in strategies and development of rationale in policy making and implementation therefore form the basis for retaining unions’ support from members, the community and employers (Daniels and Mcllroy, 2009). Political influence on decline of unions’ membership Political power Politics and political systems have a direct impact on the activities and moods of operations among trade unions. Politics in a country, as a source of legislative law that regulates operations such as management and rights of trade unions have direct impacts on membership while political systems have indirect impacts. Restricting the rights and powers of a trade union to an extent that it cannot perform its traditional function of negotiating better terms and status determines the unions members’ utility levels. A case in which a trade union, due to laws, cannot fight for its members’ rights may discourage membership because there is no difference between union members and ‘non-union’ members. Political influence can similarly be felt through politicians’ intimidation on union leaders and operations which discourage membership (International Labor Office, 2006). Political systems Similarly, political systems and their associated traditions indirectly affect unions’ membership. While a capitalistic political system with its privatized initiatives and unions’ empowerment promotes cause and initiatives for unions’ actions, socialistic systems do not facilitate trade union’s activities. This is because of the absence of capitalistic resource owners who undermine workers for rights bargain. Instead, socialistic political systems are characterized by a significant level of equality among the universal working class and the spirit of social responsibility and equality that substitutes unions’ objectives. The unions as well as their memberships are therefore likely to be effective in capitalistic political environment as opposed to socialistic economies (Smith, 2005). Generational influence on labor unions Change in leadership Like political systems and policies, generational characteristics have significant impacts on strength and membership of trade unions. Core values of individuals in unions leaderships and membership portrays significant impacts on the trends exhibited by trade unions. Daniels and Mcllroy explains that the level of trade unions leaders’ “adversarialism and radicalism” that defines the level of success and strength of the unions depends on the core values of the different generations that unions have registered (Daniels and Mcllroy, 2009, p. 144). The general trend in change in effectiveness and popularity of unions across generations that includes the veterans, the baby boomers, generation x and generation y has been consistent. The veterans generation is for example identified with “respect for authority, conformers and discipline,” the baby boomers identified with “optimism and involvement” while the generations x and y exhibits less commitment to unionism and on the contrary prefers informal and personal approaches to solving problems besides extreme focus in social activities (Hammill, 2005, p. 1). This means that the unions’ leadership has been getting weaker with time. Change among members Similarly, poor levels of members’ commitment have been noticed with every changing generation. While the veterans were committed to the unions, the y generation lacks the interest and drive to be part of the unions. These differences correspond to the trend in change experienced in trade unions and can be expected to continue shaping trade unions (Hammill, 2005). Other external dynamics affecting labor unions The corporate world Labor unions are also influenced by other factors from outside the institutions. Some of the factors that affect operations and administration of trade unions include “business cycle, domestic institutions, globalization, and union density” (Sano, n.d., p. 1). Trade unions’ jurisdictions cover interactions with the corporate sector and institutions whose employees subscribe to the unions. The strength and bargaining power of the institution relative to that of the trade unions therefore define the level of success of a trade union (Sano, n.d). Globalization Similarly, globalization has a destabilizing impact on a domestic trade union. This is because an employer, such as an international organization can resort to recruiting foreign workers in a bid to evade demands from a trade union. This competition in the labor market forces unions to moderate their demand on employers. Globalization has also decentralized unions to smaller units that are less effective (Sano, n.d). Trend in labor unions Survey results There has been a declining trend in strength, popularity, and membership among trade unions over the past five decades. Workers’ confidence in the effectiveness of the unions in defending their rights has similarly declined over time. A review of past surveys for example illustrates a steady decline in workers’ confidence in unions. While more than sixty percent of respondents in a survey approved effectiveness of trade unions in the year 1988, only about twenty percent approved of the effectiveness in a different survey conducted in the year 2001 (Tebo, 2007). Generational change This, supported by generational change, through the changed characteristics from the veterans to generation y implies a steady decline in effectiveness in trade unions. The gradual consistent change in generational behavior forecasts further decline in unions’ effectiveness in future periods (Tebo, 2007). Conclusion Trade unions were once effective but have continually lost its influenced among members, the community, and employers. This has been caused by factors within the unions such as administration and service delivery and external factors such as politics, corporate systems, generational change, and globalization. The systematic trend in trade unions’ effectiveness forecasts a further future decline in effectiveness of the unions’ activities and influence. Reference Daniels, G. and Mcllroy, J. (2009). Trade Unions in a Neoliberal World: British Trade Unions Under New Labour. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis Hammill, G. (2005). Mixing and managing four generations of employees. Retrieved from: http://www.fdu.edu/newspubs/magazine/05ws/generations.htm International Labor Office. (2006). Freedom of association: digest of decisions and principles of the Freedom of Association Committee of the Governing Body of the ILO. Geneva, Switzerland: International Labour Organization Sano, J. (n.d.). ‘Factors affecting union decline in 18 OECD countries and their implications for labor movement reforms’. Retrieved from: http://cos.sagepub.com/content/49/6/479.abstract Smith, M. (2005). ‘Trade unions: politics and struggle’. Retrieved from: http://www.isj.org.uk/index.php4?id=55 Tebo, J. (2007). Creative strategies for union revival: An investigation based on a survey of current and former members of the National Writers Union. Ann Arbor, MI: ProQuest Read More