Labor Unions
...Unions are not as large or as powerful as they once were due to shifts in the mode of the U.S economy, however, unions still retain the power to change the nature of employee management relations in any company that has or will have unionized workers. Labor relations are a specific type or specialization for Human Resource professionals and negotiating the relationship between the employees and management in unionized workforces can be difficult. If handled correctly negotiations can be mutually beneficial to the workers and the management of a given company. By defining unions and labor relations and examining their impact on organizations, on human relations policies and practices, and on organizational performance, one can determine whether or not unions are still relevant in the US.
Unions are organizations that look after the employment interests of its members such as working conditions, pay, and other benefits. Unions are organized along professional lines and cover diverse groups including skilled workers, like electricians or plumbers, and unskilled workers like supermarket employees and truckers. Unions provide training and apprenticeship programs for its members in order to further their careers. Union offices often work with companies who employ union members to ensure proper working conditions and resolve disputes between company management and employees. Labor relations are the relationship between the company management and labor unions. Unions recognized by a company will negotiate a contract on behalf of its members that spells out working conditions, rate of pay, and benefits for its members. Company management will then assess the strength of the union and may make its own demands. The conflicts that occur are often the result of a union trying to provide higher pay and better benefits for its members, while management is working to...
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