EFFICIENCY AND EMPLOYMENT & LABOUR RELATIONS INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION WHAT ARE LABOUR RELATIONS? WHAT ARE LABOUR UNIONS OR TRADE UNIONS? WHAT DO THEY DO? What/Who do they attempt to represent?________ Who do they negotiate with?__________________ What do they negotiate about?________________ How do they help individual members?__________ What can they do when dissatisfied?___________ THE ROLE OF TRADE UNIONS What/Who do they attempt to represent? 1) They represent workers interests. 2) They protect their rights. Who do they negotiate with? The management and the government. What do they negotiate about? Working conditions, working hours, salary, etc. How do they help individual members? They give legal advice, and can help them with grievance procedure. What can they do when dissatisfied? They can take all kinds of industrial action (strike, working-to-rule, etc.) INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS DISCUSSION Are labour relations good or bad in your country? Why? Are labour relations good or bad in your country? Why? Do you consider that the unions are too strong or not strong enough in Croatia? Do you consider that the unions are too strong or not strong enough in Croatia? How would you answer the following questions? WHAT ARE THE FREQUENT CAUSES OF BAD LABOUR RELATIONS? 1. Bad ___________________________ 2. ___________________________ attitude (management and workers) 3. A lack of ___________________________ 4. Unions defending ___________________________ INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS WHAT ARE THE FREQUENT CAUSES OF BAD LABOUR RELATIONS? 1. Bad working conditions 2. Hostile/adversary attitude (management and workers) 3. A lack of communication 4. Unions defending uneconomic working practises FOOD FOR THOUGHT... FOOD FOR THOUGHT... Management is and has to be a power. Any power needs restraint and control or else it becomes tyranny. The union serves an essential function in industrial society. Peter Drucker: An Introductory View of Management What does this mean? In your opinion, should UNIONS be consulted before MANAGEMENT makes decisions about the following? manufacturing new products or manufacturing new products or offering new services offering new services opening new factories, shops, opening new factories, shops, and so on and so on closing existing factories, shops closing existing factories, shops and so on and so on changing working hours changing working hours hiring new staff hiring new staff Should UNIONS be represented on a company's BOARD OF DIRECTORS, as happens in some countries? VOCABULARY - Can you explain the following words? Use some of the words from the box above to answer the questions about labour relations and labour unions. INDUSTRIAL ACTION INDUSTRIAL DISPUTE STRIKE ADVERSARY ARBITRATION REDUNDANT ADVERSARY ARBITRATION REDUNDANT WORKS COUNCIL GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE TO PICKET INDUSTRIAL TRIBUNAL DEREGULATION INDUSTRIAL TRIBUNAL DEREGULATION INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS or LABOUR RELATIONS INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS or LABOUR RELATIONS WORKING-TO-RULE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING WORKING-TO-RULE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING TRADE UNION (GB) or LABOUR UNION (US) DOWN-SIZING UNECONOMIC GO-SLOW (GB) OR SLOWDOWN (US) UNECONOMIC GO-SLOW (GB) OR SLOWDOWN (US) TO CONSULT UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT TO CONSULT UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT Match the words from the box above with the following explanations. 1. when workers do something as a protest against their employer, for example stopping work for a period of time 2. a disagreement between employer and employees (management and workers) about pay, working conditions, etc. 3. when a disagreement between an employer and employees is dealt with by independent officials who try to reach an agreement between both sides in order to prevent a strike, for example 4. relations between employers and employees, managers and workers, management and unions 5. a complaint made by a worker to an employer, usually because they believe they have been treated unfairly 6. in Britain, a court that is given official authority to deal with employees complaints about their employers 7. an organization in a company where employers and representatives of workers meet to discuss pay, working conditions etc. 8. an organization which represents workers interests and protects their rights 9. protesting about a situation at work by doing your job less quickly or effectively than usual, but without breaking your employers rules or the terms of your contract 10. a stoppage of work, as a protest against working conditions, low pay, and so on 11. a deliberate reduction in the rate of production, as a protest 12. negotiations between unions and employers about their members wages an working conditions 13. to protest outside a factory or other workplace during an industrial dispute, and try to persuade workers not to work and delivery drivers not to enter 14. ending or relaxing restrictive laws 15. an opponent or enemy 16. too expensive, wasteful, loss-making 17. to ask someones opinion before making a decision 18. money paid regularly by the government to people who do not have a job 19. no longer needed by your employer 20. making a company smaller by dismissing staff ANSWERS: 1 industrial action 2 industrial dispute 3 arbitration 4 industrial relations or labour relations 5 grievance 6 industrial tribunal 7 works council 8 trade union (GB) or labour union (US) 9 working-to-rule 10 strike 11 go-slow (GB) or slowdown (US) 12 collective bargaining 13 to picket 14 deregulation 15 adversary 16 uneconomic 17 to consult 18 unemployment benefit 19 redundant 20 down-sizing INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS RB, pp. 65, 66 & 67 Do the exercise in RB, pp. 65, 66 & 67. Do the exercise in RB, pp. 65, 66 & 67. If there are any words that you still do not understand, use a dictionary for help. If there are any words that you still do not understand, use a dictionary for help. HOW DO THESE CARTOONS COMMENT ON LABOUR RELATIONS?