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Mgmt 583 Labor Relations. Chapter 4:Union Structure and Government Fall 2007. Growth in Healthcare Industry. Union membership is in decline, but hospitals offer growth opportunities for unions. 14.6% in bargaining units. 12.6% are union members (8.2% in private hospitals). Up 2% since 2005.
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Mgmt 583 Labor Relations Chapter 4:Union Structure and Government Fall 2007
Growth in Healthcare Industry • Union membership is in decline, but hospitals offer growth opportunities for unions. • 14.6% in bargaining units. • 12.6% are union members (8.2% in private hospitals). • Up 2% since 2005.
Hospital Bargaining Units • Eight predetermined categories: • Physicians • Registered nurses • Other professional employees • Medical technicians • Skilled maintenance workers • Clerical workers, guards • Other nonprofessional employees • No unit, however, will be certified that has fewer than six employees. Source: American Hosp. Ass'n v. NLRB, 499 U.S. 606 (1991).
Union Structure: Locals Membership Meeting President Vice President Secretary Treasurer Sergeant-at- Arms Stewards
The Local • Represents the members of the BU in the day-to-day dealings with the employer. • How local jurisdiction is defined: • Type of work performed (craft v. industrial). • Specific geographic area (city or employer or facility). • Type of activity (bargaining, grievance handling, etc.) • Level of union governance (local v. national)
The Local • Remember that in IR there are only two partie: employer & union. • Employees are members of the union which represents them. • Member rights are protected by: • The Constitution of the local • CBA • Most union members do not participate in local business meetings (< 1/3).
Independent Local Unions • Some unions may be independent of a national or the AFL-CIO • Independent Local Unions (ILU) represent employees of a single employer and no other.
Union Structure: Locals • Two major committees: • Executive Committee • President • Vice-president • Recording secretary • Financial secretary • Treasurer • Sergeant-at-arms • Shop Stewards • Business agents (craft unions) • Negotiation Committee
Union Structure: Locals • Negotiation Committee • Chief negotiator • Representative from the national • Cost specialist • Note taker/secretary • Language draftsman
Union Structure: Locals • Duties of the Shop Steward • Ensures first-line supervisors comply with the CBA • POC for initial grievance handling • Collects dues • Disseminates union information • Solicits support for union activities • Note: Usually enjoys superseniority
Union Structure: Nationals • Originally nationals represented workers in a single industry as their names may imply. • “International” unions are such because they include Bus in Canada. • They have elected presidents but full-time professional staffs. • Presidents are elected at the national convention by delegates chosen by the locals.
Union Structure: Nationals • Local-National Relationships • Responsible for organizing new locals • Charters locals • Requires national approval for: • Strikes • Contract ratification • Maintains strike fund • Maintains union pension funds • Provides IR support and expertise
Union Structure: Nationals • Local-National Relationships • Promotes union legislative agendas • Health and safety laws • Equal pay laws • Civil rights laws • Minimum wage laws • Repeal right-to-work laws • Trade restrictions
Union Structure: Nationals • National Goals: • Organizing to increase numbers and control a greater share of the labor market. • Enhance the satisfaction of existing members [aids retention]. • Focus most strategic activities toward: • Corporate campaigns • PACs • Education
Union Structure: AFL-CIO AFL-CIO (9 million workers) National Unions (53 Independent Unions) Local Unions
Union Structure: AFL-CIO • President John J. Sweeney (1995- ) • AFL-CIO was formed in 1955 when the AFL and the CIO mergered.
Union Structure: AFL-CIO • Primary Activities are Political: • Supporting pro-union candidates in national, state and local elections. • Increasing overall union membership. • Union Summer – an organizing campaign. • Organizing Institute – trains organizers. • Provides support to achieving political agendas.
AFL-CIO Political Agendas • Anti-Right-to-Work • Pro-Affirmative Action • Anti-English as an Official Language • Anti-Balanced Budget Amendment • Anti-School Vouchers • Anti-Teacher Competency Testing • Anti-Privatization of Public Sector • Pro-Regulation of HMOs • Anti-Free Trade (including NAFTA) • Pro-Increasing the Minimum Wage
AFL-CIO Political Agendas • In August 2006, the AFL-CIO announced it would spend $40 million on get-out-the-vote operations for the 2006 midterm elections.
Trends • Increased effort to organize service and administrative professions. • Increased effort to organize public employees. • Increased union mergers (attempting to achieve economies of scale)
Change to Win • Change to Win Federation formed by seven unions who want to place more emphasis on organizing and less on PACs. • SEIU (Andrew Stern) • IBT (James Hoffa) • United Food and Commercial Workers Union • UNITE HERE (Union of Needletrades, Industrial, and Textile Employees and the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees union) • Laborers International Union of North America • United Farm Workers, • United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
OPEIU International (140,000 members, 209 locals) Washington State Labor Council Source: Office and Professional Employees International Union Local
Change to Win • On September 27, 2005, Change to Win held its founding convention in St. Louis, Missouri. • Anna Burger, elected Chair of the Change to Win Federation. • At least 75% of Change to Win's resources and budget must to be allocated to organizing programs. • Have target Wal-Mart as a “must organize.”
International Brotherhood of Teamsters • Second time they have left the AFL-CIO. • 1960 – expelled • 1987 – readmitted • 2005 - left on own accord • About 1.4 million members (2004).
Additions to Change to WIN’s Ranks since 2005 • Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers BLE • Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees BMWE • Graphic Communications International Union GCIU • National Association of Government Employees NAGE • Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union RWDSU
About Exam I • Bring two blue books • Four Part Test: • Part I Short Answer Essay (6 of 8) 6 points ea. • Part II Definitions (10 of 12) 2 points ea. • Part III Essay (3 of 5) 12 points ea. • Part IV Matching (all) 8 total points. • Bonus 5 points. • Two hours
General Instructions for Exams • Closed books, no notes. • Students are expected to do their own work. • No hats, caps, or visors (or reverse the bills) during exams. • No cell phones, palm pilots or similar devices during examinations. • Once the exam begins no one may leave the room unless their exam is completed.