Employee and Labor Relations - Essay Example

Employee and Labor Relations No: Employee and Labor Relations Part-A From a societal standpoint, the main purpose of a labor relations system is to control the actions of employers and employees so that they are clearly acting in the best interests of society. 2 To gain advantage in a distributive bargaining situation. 3 True 4 True 5 A union needs to win support of at least 30% of a group of employees. 6 The employees must stick with the union they have until the contract expires. 7 True 8 False 9 The picnic could be considered an inducement or reward for not voting for the union.

10 True 11 True 12 An employer uses delay tactics such as scheduling conflicts, withdrawing items that were already settled, and delaying the release of information important to negotiations. 13 The employer must turn up the heat at the request of the employees. 14 Health insurance for retired employees is a mandatory subject of bargaining. 15 Distortions in perception, feedback, and behaviors are the most dominant contributors. Part-B How were company unions or employee representation plans inferior to worker controlled Unions?

American labor history indicates hardships of workforce in yester centuries. It was not confined to only manufacturing industries, but other industries as well in the urban areas. If we peep through the window panes of history, we find that sizeable Mexican origin Americans had to migrate just to earn single dollar a day at the time of plantation and harvesting agricultural produce in a miserable condition. Two reasons for the mentioned situation were identified that were human perspective and economic issue.

In order to have better standard of living and equality, the workers should have decent accommodation, clothing, food, education and health care insurance. In a nutshell, one should ask question to the core of his heart that treating work force as a commodity, even it considers valuable, can fulfill the democratic norms in its true sense. If we look back at the American labor history of the past century, it reveals that American labor union played a key role in the elevation of standard of living of labor force.

Due to constant efforts of the unions the employers agreed to provide better terms of employment to their employees. It had benefitted greatly to the American workforce with regard to paid vacations, pensions, health care insurance, grievance and arbitration procedures besides holidays, which had never existed before (Rayback, 2008). Part-C Jurisdiction of National Labor Relation Board In the United States of America National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is officially responsible to implement National Labor Relations Act.

The Act is the main law governing relationships between unions and private sector employers. It guarantees the right of employees to organize and bargain collectively with their employers through their Collective Bargaining Agent (CBA). The said act further ensures that the rights of non-union employees may not be discriminated by either side. Besides the above, it protects the rights of those employees who attempts to bargain themselves with the employers in terms of remuneration, adequate security measures at work place and working conditions (Cox, et al, 1996).

Either side (Employers and employees unions) may not use coercive methods against the employees who are exercising their rights under the said Act. Under the Act in question, both are bound to negotiate in good faith over the terms and conditions of the employment. In accordance with the Act in vogue, employers shall not interfere, restrain, or coerce employees in exercising their rights of forming and joining a labor union for a collective cause (Gorman, 1976). It is the discretion of the Management under NLRA, not to allow union activities during the course of business.

It can prohibit unions on two counts a) unauthorized assemblage of employees through email b) usage of official gadgets for personal incoming and outgoing emails. The same Act permits employers to hire permanent suitable replacements in place of those employees who are on strike over economic issues but not for those employees who are on strike for unfair labor practices. It empowers Management to terminate, upgrade, downgrade and transfer of an employee. An Employee who feels that he or she is being discriminated / deprived of his or her due rights may invoke the jurisdiction of competent authority under the said Act (Cox, et al, 1996).

The labor Union may file a complaint with NLRB since the employer fails to provide employees inadequate security measures, getting less than 40 hours work a week, no breaks, no payment of overtime, working lonely at night and poor lightening condition at the stores of the company. Since The Management accepted all demands of Union i.e. 40 hours work on a weekly basis, canopy lights at all stores, no one will work alone at night and payment of wages for overtime, hence, lodgment of complaint by the Union with NLRB under NLRA does not make sense (Cox, et al, 1996).

References Cox, A., Bok, D., Gorman, R., & Finkin, M. W. (1996). Labor law: Cases and materials. Foundation Press. Gorman, R. A. (1976). Basic text on labor law: Unionization and collective bargaining. St. Paul, MN: West Publishing Company. Rayback, J. G. (2008). History of American Labor. Free Press.