Improving Employer-employee relations

Question 1

what is collective bargaining?

Answer 1

-This is negotiations between management and employees representatives (usually trade unions) over pay and other employment conditions.
-the employer must recognise the right for employee representatives to act on behalf of the workforce
-the terms negotiated by the employee representatives are binding for the entire workforce

Question 2

what are the benefits of collective bargaining?

Answer 2

-gives employees more power as they hold greater influence
-you don’t have power as individuals as they are replaceable
-can make faster negotiations
-what’s agreed with collective bargaining is binding for the entire workforce

Question 3

what are examples of legislation that helps firms partake in collective bargaining?

Answer 3

-employment relations act 2000- this meant a trade union with membership of 50% or more can demand recognition and thereby reintroduce collective bargaining. If the union has more than 10% of the workforce as members then it can call a ballot and needs the support of 40% of the employees to be successful
Impact of EU- in 2000, the EU announced that it is compulsory to consult with employees if they have 50 or more employees

Question 4

what is a trade union?

Answer 4

-trade union is a group of employees who join together to maintain and improve their conditions of employment

Question 5

what are the objectives of a trade union?

Answer 5

-maximise pay
-achieving safe and secure working condition
-attaining job security
-participating in and influencing decisions in the workplace

Question 6

what is a work council?

Answer 6

• a work council is a forum within a business where workers and managers meet to discus issues like working conditions, pay and training
  -workers are elected by other workers to represent their views to management

Question 7

what are the benefits of effective communication?

Answer 7

-they feel more motivated
-decisions can be made faster
-faster commands
-lower labour turnover
-easier to hire employees- better working environment

Question 8

what is involved in a communication cycle?

Answer 8

-sender
-message
-medium
-receiver
-feedback

Question 9

what is the barrier and strategy to overcome for sender?

Answer 9

-barrier- the sender may be a poor communicator and therefore the message is not understood
-strategy to overcome-training to improve effective communication

Question 10

What is the barrier and strategy to overcome for a sender?

Answer 10

-Barrier-the message may be too long or contain technical jargon which is not understood by the receiver
-Strategy- check message content to ensure understanding

Question 11

What is the barrier for medium and the strategy to overcome?

Answer 11

Barrier-the sender may have chosen an inappropriate method for the message for example and e-mailed redundancy notice which should have been more sensitively handled with a face to face meeting
-strategy- range of methods available and training to ensure appropriate methods are selected

Question 12

What is the barrier and the strategy to overcome for receiver?

Answer 12

-barrier- the receiver may not understand the message, or simply ignore the message
-strategy- build in feedback time and ensure response is required for message

Question 13

What is the barrier for feedback and the strategy to overcome for feedback?

Answer 13

-barrier-there may be no opportunity for feedback or feedback is rushed and therefore ineffective
-strategy- build in time for relevant and effective feedback

Question 14

How has technology aided communication?

Answer 14

-technology can be used by larger businesses to communicate with their employees and this can be of particular value to businesses that operate in several locations, particularly if these locations are in different countries
-e-mail, social media, intranet, video conferencing

Question 15

What factors influence communications effectively with employees?

Answer 15

-appreciating the nature of effective communication
-use the appropriate style of management
-adapting the organisational structure to encourage effective communication

Question 16

How might a growing business experience issues with communication ?

Answer 16

-mergers/ takeovers can bring communication problems. Fears over job loss and changes to the business means effective communication is essential to reduce fears, understand the need for change and reduce resistance to changes implemented

Question 17

What is the difference between An industrial dispute and industrial action?

Answer 17

-industrial action can only be called for if an industrial dispute cannot be solved by informal negotiations or arbitration
-industrial dispute is simply the disagreement

Question 18

What are the different types of industrial action?

Answer 18

-work to rule- employees follow the strict conditions of their employment contact
-overtime ban- employees refuse to work overtime, more effective in peak times
-go slow- employees work at the slowest or least productive rate that is allowable under their employment contacts
-strike - the action of last restore, fraught with danger for both employer and employee and strictly policed by legislation on industrial action
- lock out-employers stop employees from working
-sit in- workers occupy production space
-picketing - out on strike they create a picket line which is shamed if you cross it you are called a scab

Question 19

How can you avoid an industrial dispute?

Answer 19

-sigh a contact with employer that they will not take strike action for a period of time and in return they become the only union representing the workers

Question 20

What is the benefit of signing a no strike contact?

Answer 20

-trade union becomes more powerful due to more members
-better pay +conditions package for union workers
-makes you appear non- confrontational- more employees join as less likely to leave work
-better relationship with employer- open communication

Question 21

What is ACAS?

Answer 21

-ACAS is advisory conciliation and arbitration services
-it is an independent and impartial organisation established to resolve industrial disputes
-their mission is to improve the performance and effectiveness of organisations by proving an independent and impartial service to prevent and resolve disputes and to build harmonious relationships at work

Question 22

What services do ACAS offer?

Answer 22

-prevent and resolve disputes
-resolve individual disputes over employment rights, discrimination and unfair dismissal
-provide impartial information and advice on employment matters such as reducing absenteeism, employee sickness and payment systems

Question 23

How are industrial disputes resolved?

Answer 23

-arbitration
-conciliation
-employment tribunals

Question 24

What is arbitration?

Answer 24

-ACAS listen to both sides, employers and empires and gives them a solution

Question 25

What is binding arbitration?

Answer 25

-ACAS makes the decision and both parties follows it and comply

Question 26

What is non- binding arbitration?

Answer 26

-ACAS makes decision and both parties choose if they comply

Question 27

What is pendulum arbitration?

Answer 27

Fully fines in favour of employer or fully in favour of employee -no compromise

Question 28

Which method of arbitration is best?

Answer 28

-bonding as both parties commit- with non binding dispute may never be resolved

Question 29

What is conciliation?

Answer 29

-ACAS does not pass judgement, they provide a space where both parties are brung together and make their own decisions

Question 30

How does conciliation differ to arbitration?

Answer 30

-ACAS do not pass judgement which may be better in the long term as they don’t feel imposed on

Question 31

What is an employment tribunal?

Answer 31

-informal courts where legal disputes over unfair dismissal or discrimination can be swelled. Each tribunal consists of three members, legally trained chairperson, one employer representative and one employee representative

Question 32

What are the benefits of a good employee employer relationship to employers?

Answer 32

-increased motivation -employees more committed to the objectives+strategy -lower risk of industrial disputes -good reputation

Question 33

What are the benefits of a good employee employer relationship to employees?

Answer 33

-their voices are heard more -employees are happier at work -secure job