Conflict - Employee Relations

Employee relations is the interplay that takes place between workers (or their representatives) and employers (or their representatives) about working conditions. It often involves conflict and the need for ways to resolve this conflict (or methods of dispute settlement). !This area of HRM has traditionally been known as industrial relations. It is also known as workplace relations.

What sort of things would an employer and employee have conflict over?

At the heart of most conflict in employee relations are the different views of employers and employees as to how the profits from productive effort should be shared. !Generally speaking, in large corporations, employers seek bigger dividends and capital investment for growth, while employees seek better pay and working conditions.

Conflict refers to disputes, disagreements or dissatisfaction between individuals and/or groups.

Renumeration

Employment Conditions

OH&S

Job Security

Forms of industrial action

Picket lines

Work Bans

Work to rule

Absenteeism, vandalism and sabotage

Strike

Lockout

Protected industrial action refers to action taken by either party to a dispute that has been approved by Fair Work Australia.

Unprotected industrial action refers to action that has not been approved by Fair Work Australia.

From last lesson……

Negotiation is a method of resolving disputes whereby discussions between the parties result in a compromise and a formal or informal agreement about a dispute.

Mediation is the confidential discussion of issues in a non- threatening environment, in the presence of a neutral, objective third party. Many organisations now specify mediation as a first step in their dispute resolution or grievance procedures.

A grievance procedure provides an orderly system whereby the employee and employer can resolve matters relating to complaints about wages, hours, working conditions or disciplinary action.