Strikes

Strikes are appropriate when unions and management can’t achieve agreement at the collective bargaining table, the union may turn to its major weapon to influence corporate policy, the strike. While the goals of a strike are universal – slowing or halting production so management loses enough money to bend to the union’s demands – unions can employ two different types of appropriate strikes. Offensive strikes: which are strikes that are called to help improve union members’ conditions, such as wages or work hours. Defensive strikes: which are strikes made in protest of wage cuts, losses of benefits and reductions in work hours (Sloane, 2010).

Strike is inappropriate when union members lose their individual wages each day during a strike, however, they may receive strike pay as a benefit from the union. It is also inappropriate when company loses productivity, either through a slowdown in work or a complete shutdown of the workforce, which obviously impacts its bottom line. Finally strike is inappropriate when it is timed for a busy period to magnify its effects and place more pressure on a company and when used against companies with labor-intensive operations.

Reference

Sloane, A., Witney, F. (2010). Labor relations. (13th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey:

Pearson Prentice Hall.

Grievance process is a complaint filed by a group of employees or the union if they believe that a provision of their labor agreement has been violated or misapplied. and when the grievance process has no positive result for both the employees or union can do an arbitration in which the group of employees or union settle a labor-management dispute by having an impartial third party hold a formal hearing, take testimony and render a final and binding decision.the use of these two process can create a better relationship and communication between the management and the union. it can be said that these two processes are the communication machine to share any complaint and problem between both management and the union. it ca be a destructive machine fro both too if these two methods are used as the way to take down one of them or to have a benefit for self.

Grievance process means handling conflicts or resolving conflicts between management and union Benefits of grievance and arbitration procedure1. It helps in resolving disputes and conflicts.2. Better and improved relationship between management and union.3. Better productivity.4. Cordial environment in the organization.5. Better solutions to all kind of problems.Demerits of grievance and arbitration process1. Possibility of biasness or pariality2. Informal relations can develop3. In large organizations grievance procedures are lengthy.

Grievance and arbitration procedures can enhance the relationship between the union and management in a number of ways. These procedures provide a peaceful way of reducing the fears and pressures of the employees and to settle disputes of the workplace without stopping work or resorting to economic sanctions. It compensates for ambiguity in contract language allowing the contract to be made in consideration of the numerous events that occur in the daily operations of the organization and in the context of possibly conflicting interruptions of the contract by union representatives and workers.

Grievance procedures can enhance perceptions of equity and fairness. These procedures enable employees to be heard at the high levels of decision making authorities. The presence of a grievance process provides a continuous production in the life of the labor agreement. It can be used by management of labor resources to monitor the labor agreement. The process presents a perfect way of attaining consistency in formulation of policies. By stating the grievance procedure in the collective agreement, arguments that arise during the life of the collective agreement are decided through a grievance procedure which is supported by all parties and company, union and management. The existence of arbitration represents a basic element of the process because the neutral judge shared among the parties and the reception of the arbitrator’s decision as final with civil norms of equity. The procedure enables the enhancement of union solidarity by the development of employee loyalty.

Discuss how the use of the grievance and arbitration processes and procedures can enhance the relationship between a union and management, and where it can be destructive.

Enhancing Relationship:

Grievance and arbitration procedures can enhance the relationship between the union and management in a number of ways. According to Sloane (2010) these procedures provide a peaceful way of reducing the fears and pressures of the employees and to settle disputes of the workplace without stopping work or resorting to economic sanctions. Grievance procedures can enhance perceptions of equity and fairness. These procedures enable employees to be heard at the high levels of decision making authorities. The presence of a grievance process provides a continuous production in the life of the labor agreement. It can be used by management of labor resources to monitor the labor agreement. The process presents a perfect way of attaining consistency in formulation of policies.

Destroying Relationship:

This procedure is destructive because of the presence of third parties. The procedure is also disruptive and expensive. The difference in expectations of a variety of stakeholders is a major weakness of grievance procedure.

Reference

Sloane, A., Witney, F. (2010). Labor relations. (13th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey:

Pearson Prentice Hall.