Understanding Employee Relations and Ensuring Workplace Safety

1. CHAPTER 7EMPLOYEE RELATIONS

2. UNDERSTANDING EMPLOYEE RELATIONS • Good employee relations involve providing fair and consistent treatment to all employees • To foster good employee relations, managers must listen to and understand what employees are saying and experiencing

3. UNDERSTANDING EMPLOYEE RELATIONS • Effective employee relations require cooperation between managers and employee relations representatives • ERR will try to ensure that company policies and procedures are followed and advise both supervisors and employees on specific employee relations problems

4. TRADE UNIONS • A group of seven or more workers can form a trade union • Application for registration with DG of Trade Unions • The application form must be signed by all members • Send together with the union’s constitution • The important criterion for a union to be registered is its intended member

5. TRADE UNIONS • All workers above 16 years have the right to join an appropriate union • Workers between 16 and 21 have lesser rights to participate in union activities • Specified groups of workers are restricted from joining trade unions

6. TYPES OF UNIONS • National and regional unions • In-house unions • Employer’s associations

7. ROLE OF TRADE UNIONS • Protect their members’ right • Will take action to stop such unfair practices • Advise members on their right • Encouraging government to pass legislation • Introduce policies • Three-pronged approach: • Individual employers • National issues • Individual members

8. COLLECTIVE BARGAINING • The process whereby employers and employees negotiate over the terms and conditions on employment • Union is required by law to gain formal recognition from the employer before any negotiation can be made

9. COLLECTIVE BARGAINING • One of the main functions of trade unions • The best method of regulating the terms and conditions of employment • Once an agreement is reached between the two parties, there will be no discrimination between them

10. COLLECTIVE BARGAINING • May be carried out between an individual employer and a trade union of employees • Or between the union of employees and the union of employers • This process is regulated by the Industrial Relation Act

11. COLLECTIVE AGREEMENTS • Written agreement between an employer and a trade union relating to terms and conditions of employment • Agreement must specify their duration, not less than three years • Must be deposited with Industrial Court • Most agreements include clauses on wages, working hours and other benefits to be given to the workers

12. INDUSTRIAL ACTION • Picket • Strike • Lockout

13. SETTLEMENT OF INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES • Conciliation • Arbitration

14. EMPLOYMENT LAWS • Employment Act • Industrial Relations Act

15. DISCIPLINE • Penalties in a disciplinary system • Oral warning • First written warning • Final written warning • Suspension without pay • Suspension of increment • Demotion or downgrading • Dismissal

16. EMPLOYEE PROBLEMS • Transfer • Promotion of employees • Grievance handling • Absenteeism of workers

17. TERMINATION OF EMPLOYEE’S CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT • Role of Industrial Court • Resignation • Expiry of fixed-term contract • Retirement • Redundancy and retrenchment

18. TERMINATION OF EMPLOYEE’S CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT • Dismissal of misconduct • Dismissal for poor performance • Frustration of contract • Termination of probationers • Constructive dismissal

19. CHAPTER 8SAFETY AND HEALTH

20. ACCIDENTS AT WORK • Financial costs • Losses of output • Lowered morale • Negative publicity

21. TYPES OF ACCIDENTS • Near miss • Non-fatal • Fatal

22. CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS • Technical causes • Human causes • Environmental causes

23. ENSURING A SAFE WORKPLACE • Safety policies • A statement of organization’s commitment • An explanation of who’s responsible • A description of procedures • Safety programmes • Commitment from all employees • Officer in-charge of safety

24. ENSURING A SAFE WORKPLACE • Safety programmes • Record keeping • Safety training • Safety and healthy living campaigns • Incentive and reward schemes • Provision of personal protective equipment • Disciplinary system

25. OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT • Ensure the safety of all employees and any other person at the workplace • Draft and disseminate a safety policy • Appoint a safety committee • Appoint a dedicated, qualified safety and health officer • Provide appropriate training, supervision and information • Report serious accidents to DOSH

26. SEXUAL HARASSMENT • An unwanted conduct of a sexual nature having the effect of verbal, non-verbal, visual, psychological or physical harassment • Not acceptable behaviour and any employee found guilty of such conduct will be punished

27. IMPROVING EMPLOYEES’ HEALTH • Wellness programmes • Stress management • Reducing drug and alcohol related problems

28. EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS • Programs designed to help employees whose job performance is suffering because of physical, mental or emotional problems • Four steps involve: • Identify troubled employee • EAP counseling • Solve the problem • Depend on the outcome of the treatment