Labor Management Relations Chapter 1: Union Mgmt Relationships in Perspective – Flashcards

1. Recognition of rights and responsibilities of union and management representatives 2.Negotiation of labor agreement, including appropriate strategies and tactics and impasse-resolution techniques *strikes and arbitration/mediation 3. Administration of the negotiated labor agreement -- applying and enforcing the terms of the agreement on a daily basis. *Most time spent here - involves more people

Work Rules

1. Rules governing compensation in all its forms (wages, overtime, vacations, holidays) 2. Rules specifying the employee and employers job rights and obligations (no strikes, no lockouts, layoffs, promotion procedures, performance standards, job specifications)

policies on injury/illness smoking workplace violence electronic monitoring

Management officials - production managers, maintenance managers, line supervisors

Union Officials - elected by union members but possibly have different views than them (basically politicians)

Employees - determine whether a union even exists, whether the labor agreement is accepted or rejected, and whether a threatened strike is actually carried out.

The government - laws, judicial decisions, and admin agencies all influence work rules

Third Party Neutrals

Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service - can assist both sides in reaching a labor agreement

third party neutral who offers only advice and DO NOT have binding decision-making authority *common

third party neutral hired by union and mgmt officials to MAKE a binding decision on a disputed issue

An influence/constraint that affects participant's negotiations and administrations of work rules with four parts: 1. equipment used in operations (robots replacing workers) 2. pace and scheduling of work 3. characteristics of the work environment and tasks to be performed (safety equipment - Police wanting to use Glocks and were denied) 4. information exchange

An influence/constraint that affects participant's negotiations and administrations of work rules that involves wages and skill market levels 1. Mgmt needs skilled laborers in an unskilled market - negotiate training and apprenticeship 2. wages paid by competitors 3. labor market taking up more area geographically than mgmt or unions thought

mgmt requested 12,500 employees return to their jobs during strike, and only 400 employees returned; mgmt started receiving phone calls of up to 30,000 per hour from people wanting those open jobs; strikers went back to work

An influence/constraint that affects participant's negotiations and administrations of work rules regarding when the company sells its products or purchases its raw materials needed to manufacture its products 1. More vulnerable to a strike when sales are expected to be good 2. Companies affected by strikes at plants where they get their raw materials

An influence/constraint that affects participant's negotiations and administrations of work rules regarding events happening internationally 1. Persian Gulf War affected unionized employees who had to go overseas 2. GM cutting back production during war time because its suspected business would be slow, therefore violating parts of the labor agreement regulating reductions in wages, overtime, and speeds of production 3. NAFTA - taking workers jobs away from the US

An influence/constraint that affects participant's negotiations and administrations of work rules that influences individuals and organizations within the community. Unions will attempt to sway public opinion by: 1. monitoring and reacting to negative comments in media 2. getting organized labor's positive message out to the community 3. forming alliances with various groups in community (students, clergy, feminist groups, etc.)

An influence/constraint that affects participant's negotiations and administrations of work rules where the employer seeks to borrow money - exchange rates between countries helps find a cheaper location for a new plant (cheaper to build and cheaper wages)

An influence/constraint that affects participant's negotiations and administrations of work rules with national, industrial, and firm-specific indicators 1. inflation rate: if high, laborers worry about cost of living 2. interest rates: if increased, construction projects will decrease 3. unemployment rate: if high, unions are more likely to accept bargaining concessions 4. productivity