Human Resource Management

1
ELEVENTH EDITION

GARY DESSLER

Part 5 | Employee Relations

Chapter 15

Labor Relations and Collective Bargaining

Trade Union (Collective Bargaining Agent: CBA) - why do workers organize?

Long research, No one simple answer. To get more pay, better working conditions, more holidays-leave-insurance

plan and many other benefits than non-union workers.

More specifically, it is for

EMPLOYER UNFAIRMESS, and UNIONS POWER

What Do Unions Want?

Aims of Unions
Union Security Improved wages, hours, working conditions, and benefits
152

Trade Union
The Union must get 30% vote of the employees, at

least
Thus there must not be more than three groups Once elected the Trade Union must combine

members from rest of the groups to make a team to work

The elected CBA is assumed to work for the benefit

of the workers
They can be a good spokesperson on behalf of them
But sometimes they implement political decisions They can also accused of corruptions
153

The Collective Bargaining Process

What Is Collective Bargaining?
Both management and labor are required by law to negotiate

wages, hours, and terms and conditions of employment in good faith.

The bargaining unit is the group of employees that the union

will be authorized to represent and bargain for collectively.

What Is Good Faith Bargaining?

Both parties communicate and negotiate. They match proposals with counterproposals in a reasonable

effort to arrive at an agreement.

Neither party can compel the other to agree to a proposal or to

make any specific concessions.

154

Classes of Bargaining Items

Categories of Bargaining Items

Mandatory Items

Permissible Items

Illegal Items

Rates of Pay

Working hours
Overtime Holidays Severance Pay Insurance Benefits Profit-sharing Plans Job performance Union Security

Mgt rights to Union affairs Scope of Bargaining Employment of Strike breaker Use of Union Label

Closed Shop Separation of employees based on race, religion Discriminatory treatment

Pension benefits
Settlement of unfair labor changes

155

Impasses, Mediation, and Strikes

An Impasse
Usually occurs because one party is demanding more than the other will

offer.
Sometimes an impasse can be resolved through If the impasse is NOT resolved:

a third partya disinterested person such as a mediator or arbitrator. The union may call a work stoppage, or strike, to put pressure on management.

Grievance
Any factor involving wages, hours, or conditions of employment that is

used as a complaint against the employer. Sources of Grievances

Discipline, Seniority, Job evaluations, Work assignments, Overtime, Vacations, Incentive plans, Holiday pay, Problem employees
156