Copyright © 1999 Harcourt Brace & Company Canada, Ltd. Chapter 15 Working with Unions Falkenberg, Stone, and Meltz Human Resource Management in Canada Fourth Edition

15.1 Chapter Overview n Unions: A definition n Evolution of Canadian labour unions n Unions and organizational effectiveness n Relation to other HRM functions n Responsibilities for labour relations n Labour union goals

15.2 Chapter Overview (contd.) n Labour unions: Structure n The transition from employee relations to labour relations n Collective bargaining n The grievance procedure n Dissatisfaction among union members n Improving relationships

15.3 Evolution of Canadian Labour Unions n The free-market period n The IDI Act of 1907 n World War I and the extended IDI Act n The Wagner Act of the United States n World War II and PC 1003 n The Public Service Staff Relations Act of 1967 n The growth of organized n The growth of organized labour

15.4 Labour Relations Relation to Other HRM Functions Labour Relations Human Resource Planning Recruiting and Selection Training and Development Performance Appraisal Compensation and Benefits Health and Safety

15.5 Labour Unions: Structure n n Local unions n n National and international unions n n Central labour congresses

15.6 Local Unions Types and Terms n n Local of an international or national union n n Directly chartered n n Independent local n n Stewards n n Closed shop agreements n n Union shop agreements n n Rand formula or agency shop agreements

15.7 The Transition from Employee Relations to Labour Relations n Factors related to unionization n The union organizing process Process initiation Membership campaign Determining the bargaining unit The representation vote Management responses to unionization

15.8 Situations and Attitudes Influencing the Propensity to Unionize n n Job dissatisfaction, especially wages, benefits, and working conditions n n Perceived inequities in pay n n Lack of desired amount of influence or participation on the job, and perceptions of inability to influence working conditions n n Beliefs about how effective unions are in improving wages and working conditions

15.9 Determining the Bargaining Unit Ontario Labour Relations Board Considerations n n The desires of the employer and the union n n The community of interest among employees (that is, the nature of work performed, the conditions of employment, and the skills required) n n The organizational structure of the employer n n The desire not to split one employers work force into too many bargaining units n n The general policy of not putting office staff and production workers on the same bargaining unit

15.10 How to Make Unions Unnecessary n n Management commitment to and communication of a non-union objective n n Avoiding human resource policies that teach people to think union n n Pay policies, including avoiding problems in performance reviews and the danger of poorly handled merit reviews n n Benefit programs, including overcoming communication and administrative problems

15.11 How to Make Unions Unnecessary (contd.) n n Problem solving, including consistency and due process approaches to discipline n n Communication programs, including discussion methods such as meetings, employee handbooks, newsletters, attitude surveys, and the use of survey results n n Value system analysis, including management and employee values and a workshop on management flexibility

15.12 Collective Bargaining Terms n n bargaining table n n counterproposal n n in good faith n n deadlocked n n strike n n lock-out n mediation n compulsory conciliation n voluntary mediation n interest arbitration n final-offer selection

15.13 Two Premises of Union Termination and Decertification n n A union that fails to exercise its rights may lose them. n n A union that no longer represents the majority of employees in a bargaining unit may lose its rights subject to the concern that a challenge must be made in a timely fashion and should not unduly impair the bargaining process.