Ch. 12 Flashcards
(33 cards)
Labour Union
Legally recognized association of workers presenting a collective voice to management.
Collective Bargaining
Negotiations between union and employer for a collective agreement.
Collective Bargaining Agreement
Formal contract outlining employment terms and conditions.
Business Unionism
Union activities focusing on economic welfare issues (pay, benefits, conditions).
Social Unionism
Union activities influencing broader social and economic government policies.
Reasons Workers Unionize
Belief that only unions can get fair share, protection, low morale, job insecurity, lack of engagement.
Union Acceptance vs Avoidance
Acceptance recognizes unions; avoidance seeks nonunion environments (substitution/suppression).
Rand Formula
Employees pay union dues whether or not they join the union.
Closed Shop
Only union members in good standing hired.
Open Shop
Union membership voluntary, non-members do not have to pay dues.
Union Shop
Membership and dues are mandatory conditions of employment.
Modified union shop
bargaining unit members at the time of certification or when the collective agreement was signed are not obliged to join the union (must pay dues)
but all subsequently hired employees must do both
Maintenance-of-membership
individuals voluntarily joining
the union must remain members during the term of the
contract
Types of Unions
Craft unions (by trade), industrial unions (by industry/company), local (by particular location)
Impact of unionization on HRM
Affects job content, layoffs, organization changes, written records & documentation. Policies & procedures must be consistent with collective agreement
Trends of unions in Canada
Decline: decrease in employee in highly unionized industries + more effective HR practives in nonunionzed firms
Upward: global competition, labour shortages, unionization of white-collar employees
Labour relations legislation
- Sets union certification, strike and lockout procedures
- Set minimums for collective agreements
- Set requirements for binding arbitration in disputes
- Prohibit unfair practices by labour and management
- Requires establishment of labour relations boards
Labour Relations Process Steps
- Desire for representation, 2. organizing campaign, 3. (with sufficient support) union recognition, 4. collective bargaining, 5. contract administration.
Dissonance-based reasons for collective representation
Due to conflict between expectations of work and work experiences
Utility-based reasons for collective representation
Based on rational calculation of the costs and benefits of joining a union
Union Organizing Campaign Steps
Employee/union contact, initial organizing meeting, committee formation, authorization cards signed by employee that indicates willingness to have union act as representative, outcome.
Employer Response to Unionizing
Campaign to counteract union drive, inform supervisors what they can and cannot say; cannot force mandatory meeting, question individuals, bribe, coerce, intimidate, or refuse to answer legitimate questions.
Unfair practices by management
Interfering/discriminating with choice in unions, changing collective agreement, bad faith, employee treatment
Signs of organizing activity
Low employee morale, increased complaints/questions, employees huddle frequently, prolonged breaks, increased employee congregation
