UNION ORGANISING AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

Last session

Introduction

• Unions do not just happen• Are cause- usually by managements

actions or inactions!!• Climate where workers want to form a

union is created by management

Causes of Unions

• Reasons why an employee joins a union vary from person to person

• In general, workers seek something from unions, which they do not think- can get from management e.g higher wages, better job security, fringe benefits, fair treatment- etc.

Union organising

• Usually, employees organise themselves without outside influence (but sometimes outsiders persuade employees to unionise)

Signs of organising activity• Changes in the law (allowing union formation)• Focused union activity in an industry• Poor pay, benefits and employee treatment• High employee turn over and absenteeism rates

higher than the norms for your industry or community

• Company failure to conduct job satisfaction surveys

• Pay and benefits below industry average• If the company procedure for resolving

employee complaints is largely ignored by employees

Employee behaviour suggestive of union activity

• Groups of employees in conversation that ends when a manager walks by.

• More time in washrooms• Problems being created or magnified by a

few workers• More militant employee behaviour• An increase in questions about company

benefits and policies• Sudden disappearance of sources of

gossip and information

Limits of management response

• The law limits management – management can only respond to union formation within the law.

• Management will also need to be careful in how they respond – otherwise- a strike may ensue!!!

•

Management campain

• Management may ask HRD to mount a counter attack to union organising

• Success may largely depend on how employees have been treated in the past

• It is important for management to increase communication with employees-through meetings, bulletins etc.

Collective bargaining

• If a union is formed and thus has won the support of employees to represent them- then employer is obligated to negotiate with union in good faith!!

• Management has to meet union officials regularly to discuss such issues as staff welfare issues and salaries.

Preparations for negotiations• Success of negotiation depends on preparation and

planning• Management needs/must be well informed about

environmental changes (in the economy, policies etc -) so that they can negotiate from informed point f view.

• A bargaining team is assembled by management – usually composed of the organisations lawyer, organizations industrial relations officer-

• Management must know about what other unions have achieved – because their employees are likely to want to achieve similar gains..

Guidelines for labour negotiations

• Know what you want (as management)• Be prepared – information is power• Ask questions of clarification• Listen – good listening helps understanding and

gives new ideas• Remember that everything is negotiable• Stay calm, cool and collected.• Develop options and strategies• Prepare acceptable alternatives

Bargaining

• Most negotiations deal with compensation of all forms…

• Hours and working conditions