480 likes | 794 Views
Mgmt 383 Chapter 17 Union-Management Relations Spring 2008 Why Employees Join Unions Dissatisfaction with working environment. Inadequate staffing Mandatory overtime Dissatisfaction with compensation. Benefits. Non-competitive pay Dissatisfaction with organization treatment
E N D
Mgmt 383 Chapter 17 Union-Management Relations Spring 2008
Why Employees Join Unions • Dissatisfaction with working environment. • Inadequate staffing • Mandatory overtime • Dissatisfaction with compensation. • Benefits. • Non-competitive pay • Dissatisfaction with organization treatment • Concern for job security • Ignore complaints • Dissatisfaction with management style. • Inconsistency in treatment by superiors. • Lack of recognition • Fear or intimidation
The State of Unions in America • Types of Unions. • Craft unions - One craft, one union. • Union membership is limited to members of a specific craft (example: IBEW, UBCJA ). • Exercise economic power by controlling the supply of the craft. • Control apprenticeship. • Trace history to the guilds.
The State of Unions in America • Types of Unions. • Industrial unions - One industry, one union. • Union membership open to employees of a specific industry (example: UAW, USW). • Exercises economic power only by political fiat. • In recent years, industry designations have become meaningless.
Union Structure • Union Structure. • Federation - a group of autonomous national/international unions (AFL-CIO) • National Unions– an organization of local unions. • Local Unions– workers organized around a particular employer or geographic area.
Union Structure: Locals Membership Meeting President Vice President Secretary Treasurer Sergeant-at- Arms Stewards
The State of Unions in America • Since July 2008 unions account for less than 12.4% of the total work force (public and private). • By 2008, about 7.6% of the private sector was organized (up from 7.5% in 2007). • The number of persons belonging to a union rose by 428,000 in 2008 to 16.1 million. • Unions are now more prevalent in the public-sector (38.7%) than in the private. Source: BLS (2008). Union Members Summary. http://www.bls.gov/news.release/union2.nr0.htm
1935 1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 2007 2008 13.2% 35.5% 33.2% 28.4% 25.5% 18.0% 14.9% 12.1% 12.4% Union Membership 1935-2007
France U.S. Japan Germany Canada UK Norway 8.3% 12.4% 19.7% 22.6% 28.4% 29.3% 53.3% Union Membership Worldwide2008
Factors Contributing to Union Decline • Geographic changes • Industry has relocated to right-to-work states (the South and Southwest). • Low skilled job have moved to Mexico. • NAFTA has accelerated the movement of low skill jobs from the country.
Factors Contributing to Union Decline • Workforce changes • Moving from a manufacturing to a service economy. • More white-collar workers (less likely to organize). • More women (lees likely to join unions). • Private Sector Employers Have Taken Proactive Measures to Avoid Organizing Efforts. • Good wage and benefit programs • Increased emphasis on employee participation.
Railway Labor Act (RLA) of 1926 • Gave railway workers the right to organize without interference. • Objectives • Avoid service interruptions • Eliminate restrictions on joining a union • Guarantee workers right to self-organize • Provide for prompt grievance resolution • Enable prompt grievance settlement
Norris LaGuardia Act of 1932 • Yellow dog contracts unenforceable in federal courts • More difficult to getfederal injunctions
National Labor Code • National Labor Relations Act (Wagner Act) of 1935 • Labor Management Relations Act (Taft-Hartley Act) of 1947 • Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (Landrum-Griffin Act) of 1959
National Labor Relations Board • Creates the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) - § 3 • Enforces the NLRA • Investigates unfair labor practice charges. • Oversees certification elections and the recognition process • Composition: • Five members serve 5-year terms • Appointed by the president • Confirmed by the Senate
National Labor Relations Act • Called the Magna Charta of Labor • § 7 Employees Right to Organize • Employees have the right to organize without interference • Employees have the right to bargain collectively • Employees have the right to strike for better conditions • Employees have the right not to organize (Employee Free Choice added in 1947)
National Labor Relations Act • § 8(a) Unfair Labor Practices by Management • Interfering with, restraining, or coercing employees in the exercise of their § 7 rights - § 8(a)(1). • Threatening discharge • Spying • Threatening to move the plant (run away plants) • Bribing or extorting employees for their votes • Questioning employees about their votes
National Labor Relations Act • § 8(a)(2)Unlawful Domination. Prohibits company unions - Broadly worded: • Interferes with labor organization’s formation • Interferes with labor organization’s administration • Provides financial support to a labor organization • Employee participation programs violate § 8(a)(2) Electromation v. IBT, 309 N.L.R.B. no. 163 (1992) and Dupont v. Chemical Workers Association, 311 N.L.R.B. 88 (1993).
National Labor Relations Act • § 8(a)(3) Unlawful Discrimination Based on Union Membership: • Cannot discriminate against union [or nonunion] employees with regard to their conditions of employment • Requires proof of employer’s intent to discourage union membership • Examples: • Discharging pro union employees • Refusing to hire pro union applicants • Constructive discharges • Superseniority to permanent strike replacements
National Labor Relations Act • § 8(a)(4) Whistleblowers Clause: • Cannot retaliate against an employee who files an unfair labor practice complaint against the employer.
National Labor Relations Act • § 8(a)(5) Obligation to Bargain in Good Faith: • Employer must bargain with the bargaining units recognized/certified bargaining agent • Mandatory Bargaining Issues: • Wages • Hours • Conditions of Employment
Three Types of Bargaining Issues • Mandatory – required by law. • Wages • Hours • Conditions of employment • Prohibited – forbidden by law. • Closed shops • Permissive – anything that isn’t mandatory or prohibited. • Employee discounts • Benefits for retirees • Union logos on products
Labor Management Relations Act • § 8(b)(1) Employee’s § 7 Rights § 7 • Employee’s Right to Free Choice - § 8(b)(1)(a) • Union cannot interfere with employees § 7 rights. • Examples: • Picket line violence • Threats of violence to nonunion employees • Threaten loss of job to nonunion employees if the union wins certification • Entering into a recognition agreement when the union does not have a majority showing of interest
Labor Management Relations Act • Fair Representation - § 8(b)(2) • Unlawful to force any employer to discriminate against non-union m,embers of the bargaining unit. • Demanding different wages or benefits based on union membership. • Failing to submit a grievance based on union membership.
Labor Management Relations Act • Bargain in Good Faith - § 8(b)(3) • Unions cannot refuse to collectively bargain with an employer. • No “take or leave it “ultimatums.
Labor Management Relations Act • Secondary Boycotts - § 8(b)(4) • Unlawful strikes against neutral third parties. • Forcing an employer to cease doing business with another employer against whom the union is striking
Labor Management Relations Act • Excessive Dues & Fees - § 8(b)(5) • Unlawful for the union to charge a fee that the NLRB would consider excessive or discriminatory.
Labor Management Relations Act • Anti-Featherbedding Clause - § 8(b)(6) • Featherbedding- payment for services not performed or not to be performed.
Labor Management Relations Act • Limitations on Organizational Picketing - § 8(b)(7) • No picketing when a certified bargaining agent is already in place • No picketing within 12 months of the last certification or decertification election.
Right-to-Work Laws • Right-to-Work Laws - § 14(b) • Nothing in this Act shall be construed as authoring the execution or application of agreements requiring membership in a labor organization as a condition of employment in any State or Territory in which the execution or application is prohibited by State or Territorial law. • 22 states have passed “right-to-work’ laws.
Alabama Arizona Arkansas Florida Georgia Idaho Iowa Kansas Louisiana Mississippi Nebraska Nevada North Carolina North Dakota Oklahoma (2001) South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia Wyoming Right-to-Work States (22)
Continuum of Compulsory Union Membership Maintenance of Membership Shop Exclusive Bargaining Rights Union Shop Closed Shop Open Shop Agency Shop Preferential Union Shop Modified Union Shop Right-to-Work
Labor Management Relations Act • National Emergency Dispute Resolution -§§ 206-210 • Must involve an actual or threatened strike or lockout affecting an entire industry, or a substantial part thereof, that if permitted would: • Imperil national health • Imperil national safety
Labor Management Relations Act • National Emergency Dispute Resolution Process • President forms a board of inquiry which investigates and reports on the magnitude of the strike or lockout. • President may direct the Attorney General to petition any federal district court for an 80-day injunction
Labor Management Relations Act • National Emergency Dispute Resolution Process cont’d • The FMCS will be sent in to attempt mediation • At the end of 60 days the board of inquiry reports any progress to the president. • President may make the report available to the public. • NLRB within the next 15 days makes the employer’s final offer available to each employee for individual balloting.
Representation Process Authorization Card Campaign Recognition [50% + 1] Certification [30%] File recognition petition File Certification Petition Consent Election Decree Formal Election Hearing Collective Bargaining Begins Election [Simple Majority of Ballots Cast]
Representation Process • Salting - the practice of unions using paid organizers to apply for jobs at a targeted employer for the purpose of infiltrating and organizing other workers. • Permits coverage under Republic Aviation.
Change In the Recognition Process • EFCA proposes to change the recognition process by: • Having the NLRB certify any union receiving a showing of interest greater than 50% during the authorization card campaign. • Situations in which the union receives less than a majority showing of interest will be resolved by an secret ballot election. • In effect, all organization efforts begin as a card check.
EFCA Representation Process if Showing of Interest is <50% Authorization Card Campaign Certification [30%] File Certification Petition Consent Election Decree Formal Election Hearing Representation Election NLRB Bargaining Order
EFCA Representation Process if Showing of Interest is >50% AuthorizationCardCampaign File Certification Petition Formal Election Hearing NLRB Issues Bargaining Order
Bargaining Orders • Under the EFCA unions can demand that employers begin CBA negotiation within 10 days of certification.
Interest Arbitration for the Private Sector • If an impasse cannot be reovled within 90 days, either party can request mediation from the FMCS. • If mediation fails to resolve the impasse within 30 days, the EFCA provides for binding interest arbitration. • If the contract is decided by arbitration, the bargaining unit does not ratify the CBA.
Time frames • 10 days following certification: Bargaining order. • 90 days after impasses: mediation • 30 after mediation fails: interest arbitration.
Components of the CBA • Wage Issues • Wage & effort. • Benefits • Premium Pay • Nonwage Issues • Union security/recognition of the union(level of compulsory membership) • Individual security/ seniority • Management rights • Discipline/discharge • Grievance procedure
Components of the CBA • Nonwage Issues (continued) • No strike/no lockout • Contract term/duration • Safety • Checkoff clause
Five Types of Strikes • Economic • Unfair Labor Practice • Sympathy • Jurisdictional • Wildcat Unlawful
Grievance Management • Grievance - any violation of the the collective bargaining agreement. • Interpretation of the CBA. • Unilateral modification of the CBA. • Refusal to abide by its provisions
Rights Arbitration • Arbitration - a quasi-judicial process in which parties agree to submit an unresolved dispute to neutral third-party binding settlement. • Rights Arbitration - arises over interpretation of the CBA’s meaning or entitlement to its provisions (post CBA ratification). • Interest Arbitration - during CBA negotiations.