1. Human Resource Management Chapter 12 LABOR UNIONS & COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
© 2008 by Prentice Hall

2. HRM in Action: Change to Win Coalition
New union federation consisting of seven unions that broke from AFL-CIO and formally launched rival labor federation representing about 6 million workers in 2005
Led by Service Employees International Union
Also included are Teamsters, United Food and Commercial Workers, Unite Here, Carpenters’ Union, Laborers’ International Union of North America, and United Farm Workers
© 2008 by Prentice Hall

3. Union Objectives
To secure and, if possible, improve living standards and economic status of members.
To enhance and, if possible, guarantee individual security against threats and contingencies that might result from market fluctuations, technological change, or management decisions.
To influence power relations in social system in ways that favors and does not threaten union gains and goals.
© 2008 by Prentice Hall

4. Union Objectives (Cont.)
To advance welfare of all who work for a living, whether union members or not.
To create mechanisms to guard against use of arbitrary and capricious policies and practices in workplace.
© 2008 by Prentice Hall

5. Union Growth Strategies
Strategically Located Union Members
Organizing Several Big Companies at Once
Pulling Union Through
Political Involvement
Union Salting
Flooding Community
Public Awareness Campaigns
Building Organizing Funds
Befriending Laid-off Workers
Organizing through Card Check
© 2008 by Prentice Hall

6. Strategically Located Union Members
Importance of jobs held by union members significantly affects union power
Few strategically located union members may exert disproportionate amount of power
Truckers or dock workers can affect entire country
© 2008 by Prentice Hall

7. Organizing Several Big Companies at Once
Service Employees International Union (SEIU) in Houston organized janitors at several big companies at once
Negotiated big industry-wide contract
Eliminates each company’s fear of being undercut by competitors if it allows higher wages
Companies stay neutral
© 2008 by Prentice Hall

8. Pulling the Union Through
Put pressure on end user of company’s product
Strike against four Johnson Controls factories that make interior parts for some of country’s best-selling vehicles
GM and Chrysler played active behind-the-scenes role by pressuring JCI to settle dispute
© 2008 by Prentice Hall

9. Political Involvement
Political arm of AFL-CIO is Committee on Political Education (COPE)
Union recommends and assists candidates who will best serve its interests
With friends in government, union in stronger position
Give money to candidates who pledge to help pass pro-labor legislation
© 2008 by Prentice Hall

10. Union Salting
Process of training union organizers to apply for jobs at company and, once hired, work to unionize
Supreme Court has ruled employers cannot discriminate against union salts
© 2008 by Prentice Hall

11. Flooding the Community
Process of union inundating communities with organizers to target particular business
Unions typically choose companies in which nonunionized employees have asked for help in organizing
Target weak managers’ departments as way to appeal to dissatisfied employees
© 2008 by Prentice Hall

12. Public Awareness Campaigns
Labor maneuvers that do not coincide with strike or organizing campaign to pressure employer for better wages, benefits, and the like
Alternative to strikes because more employers are willing to replace striking workers
Employers have less recourse against labor campaigns involving joint political and community groups that support union goals
© 2008 by Prentice Hall

13. Building Organizing Funds
AFL-CIO asks its affiliates to increase organizing funds
Increase funding to organizing institute, which trains organizers, and launches advertising campaign to create wider public support for unions
© 2008 by Prentice Hall

14. Befriending Laid-Off Workers
AFL-CIO hopes castoffs from Enron, WorldCom, and others will become advocates for organizing
Fear and stress break down relationships between management and workers
© 2008 by Prentice Hall

15. Organizing through Card Check
Organizing approach where employees sign card of support if they want unionization
If 50% of work force plus one worker sign card, it is considered a union victory
Expedited ways of polling workers on union representation but no secret-ballot election takes place
© 2008 by Prentice Hall