Comprehension. Labour relations learning goals After studying this unit you will be able to: - define topical terms - differentiate between labour

UNIT 7

LABOUR RELATIONS

Learning goals After studying this unit you will be able to: - define topical terms - differentiate between labour, craft and industrial unions - identify the role of labour unions in society - assess the advantages of union membership - describe the collective bargaining process - explain the difference between labour and management tactics

READING SECTION

READING I

LABOUR UNIONS

Key terms

Match the terms with their definitions.

1) labour (trade) union	a) an organization of workers with specific skills like carpenters or pilots
2) craft union	b) an organization of workers with a particular political position in different industries
3) industrial union	c) an organization of employees which is formed to achieve common goals in the areas of wages, working hours and working conditions
4) political union	d) an organization of all workers at all levels within one given industry

Vocabulary task

Match the words with their English equivalents.

1) labour (trade) union	a) следование инструкциям, доведенное до абсурда
2) industrial union	b) судебный запрет
3) craft union	c) запрет рабочим находиться на рабочих местах
4) industrial action	d) профсоюз
5) strike	e) цеховой профсоюз
6) go-slow (slow-down)	f) забастовка
7) working-to-rule	g) производственный профсоюз
8) lockout	h) действия протеста со стороны рабочих
9) injunction	i) намеренное сокращение уровня производства

Think ahead

In your opinion, who joins trade unions and for what purpose?

Text 7.1. Read the text and describe different types of unions.

Basic Facts about Labour Unions

The story of organized labour is an important and fascinating chapter in the history. It is a story that has its beginnings in the early nineteenth century when the workday started at sunrise and ended at sunset – for men, women and children. Most would agree that during industrial revolutions business owners and managers left the workers with little choice but to form unions. At that time, new technology was raising the standard of leaving for many people, but the majority of workers worked about eleven hours a day and six days a week. Looking back, it seems only natural that workers began to look for a means to protect themselves from exploitation and physical harm. Labour unions were the means that they devised.

Labour unions or trade unions are organizations that attempt to represent workers’ interests. They negotiate with employers about wages, working hours and working conditions of their members. They can defend members who have individual difficulties. Basically, labour unions exist to influence employers to further the benefits of employees. If dissatisfied, they can take ‘industrial action’ such as going on strike or operating a go-slow or a work-to-rule.

There are two basic types of labour unions – craft and industrial. A craft union is an organization of workers with specific skills, like electricians or pilots. An industrial union is an organization of all workers at all levels within one given industry. In some countries, for example, France and Italy, unions are largely political: workers in different industries join unions with a particular political position.

Why do workers join unions? Although the percentage of workers who have joined unions may be declining somewhat, the total number of union workers is substantial. There are several reasons for this substantial membership.

- Unions are seen as helping workers get higher wages and fringe benefits. They are generally seen as a means by which workers can get a greater share of profits.

- Unions are seen as helping workers improve working conditions. Job safety is an important concern in this area. Through unions workers can often influence management to invest in appropriate safety equipment. Desirable lighting and temperatures could also be included in this area.

- Unions are seen as protecting workers from unfair management. Certainly, many employees would like to be shielded from what they consider to be unfair decisions, rules, and rule enforcement. Through unions workers have some such protection.

- Unions are seen as possessing political power. Employees may respond favourably to being members of an organization that can lobby for laws to control such things as minimum wage levels or worker safety. Some degree of political influence can be achieved through unions.

Unions Today and in the Future

In recent time there has been a decrease in total union membership. As a result of deregulation, working conditions in many industries in many countries have worsened, leading to the creation of a great many casual, part-time, unskilled jobs done by non-unionised workers. But in the new countries such as South Korea, or Poland, or South Africa, trade unions have played an enormous dynamic political and economic role. Some of the old attitudes and structures of trade unions in Europe or the USA have become somewhat out- of- date and they have to be reinvented, but in the end, as long as employees have needs that have to be represented, they will need trade unions, and a sensible government and sensible employers, that want effective social piece, and also want a team-working and dynamic economy, should be encouraging trade unions. The form of trade unions is changing, perhaps the old class war attitude of trade unions is out- of- date, but again it is interesting to see that in some of the most successful economies such as Germany and Japan there is a strong trade union presence, it is recognized by employers, it is accepted as a partner by government.

A number of politicians and business leaders are beginning to regret the weakness of unions. A big company needs someone to represent and articulate the needs of the employees and act as a social partner to the employer. But there is clearly a problem if workers believe that the unions are incapable of doing this, and choose not to join them.

Probably the best way to predict what will happen to union membership in the future is to focus on the workforce of the future. There will be a lower growth rate for the more traditional union jobs such as blue-collar jobs than for the less traditional union jobs such as professional positions. This trend suggests that union membership will not increase significantly in the near future.

Predicted trends in employment by industry for the workforce of tomorrow also seem to indicate a minimal increase in the total number of union members. Employment growth in industries like manufacturing and mining, which historically have been more unionized, is expected to increase only moderately. Employment growth in industries like the service industry, which have been historically non-unionized, is expected to grow much more rapidly. The service industry is comprised of organizations that provide services such as banking, insurance, education, etc.

Comprehension

1. Answer the following questions:

1) Why did labour unions appear?

2) What is a labour union and what are its purposes?

3) What types of unions there exist?

4) How do labour unions help working people?

5) What are the reasons to join labour unions?

6) How do you explain the recent decrease in total union membership?

7) What changes can be observed in developing and advanced countries in labour union movement?

8) Why do some businessmen and politicians regret the weakness of unions?

9) What trends are predicted in labour union movement?

2. Speak about labour union movement in perspective.

Language study

1. Find words that go together according to the text.

1) business a) economy

2) working b) jobs

3) individual c) enforcement

4) industrial d) equipment

5) substantial e) owner

6) job f) conditions

7) safety g) difficulties

8) unfair h) action

9) rule i) membership

10) political j) safety

11) unskilled k) management

12) sensible l) influence

13) dynamic m) trends

14) predicted n) government

2. Translate the word combinations which you have formed in task 1.

3. Fill in the gaps with prepositions according to the text.

1) The circumstances during industrial revolutions left the workers … little choice but to form unions.

2) Workers looked … a means to protect themselves … exploitation.

3) Trade unions negotiate … employers … wages.

4) Dissatisfied workers often go … strike.

5) Unions protect workers … unfair management.

6) Scientists who predict the future … union membership focus … the workforce.

7) The service industry is comprised … banking, insurance, education and other services.

READING II

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

Before you read

Key terms

Match the words with their definitions.

1) collective bargaining	a) actions taken by unions in an attempt to influence management to adopt the union viewpoint in a collective bargaining situation
2) preparation	b) a temporary stoppage of work by employees which lasts until management accepts union demands
3) labour tactics	c) a labour tactics generally used in conjunction with a strike, involving positioning one or more union members at the entrance of a struck workplace to stop or make difficult any entry to the workplace
4) tentative agreement	d) actions taken by management in an attempt to influence unions to adopt the management viewpoint in a collective bargaining situation
5) strike	e) the step of collective bargaining when both union and management negotiators formulate their demands and concessions
6) picketing	f) a refusal by management to allow workers to work by keeping them out of the workplace
7) boycotting	g) a court order prohibiting or requiring action on the part of someone
8) management tactics	h) the process by which employees, through the union or association representing them, negotiate a labour agreement with their employer
9) lockout	i) an organization formed by employers to help neutralize the influence of unions
10) injunction	j) a labour tactic wherein union members refuse to purchase products from companies that are giving a union difficult times
11) association	k) the step of collective bargaining when both union and management draft a preliminary agreement or statement which describes their settlement

Think ahead

Collective bargaining is a complicated process. In your opinion, what steps does it comprise?

Text 7.2. Read the text and describe each step of the collective bargaining process.

What is Collective Bargaining?

Collective bargaining is the process by which employees, through the union or association representing them, negotiate a labour agreement with their employer. The three main steps in the collective bargaining process are preparation, bargaining and tentative agreement.

Preparation. In this step both union and management negotiators formulate their demands and concessions. The union attempts to pinpoint what it would like to have from management in such areas as wages and job seniority. Management attempts to define limits in giving concessions to the union; limits which will enable the organization to maintain a reasonable level of profit. Each side prepares independently of the other.

Bargaining. Once management and labour have prepared their demands and concessions, they begin the actual bargaining. At this stage the two sides come together in a face-face meeting, usually around a large table. (You will often hear newscasters report that both sides are ‘at table’ or that all the issues have been ‘put on table’.) In this second step of the collective bargaining process, both management and unions attempt to follow the bargaining plans they outlined during the preparation phase. Essentially, management and labour, in a spirit of compromise, try to achieve their individual objectives.

Tentative agreement. If both sides bargain satisfactorily during the bargaining phase, they draft a preliminary agreement or statement which describes their settlement. This means that management can meet enough of the union’s demands to satisfy the union negotiators while still maintaining a reasonable level of profit. This agreement must then be presented to the union membership for a vote. If the union membership votes to accept or ratify this settlement, the settlement becomes the collective bargaining agreement or contract under which both management and the union must operate. If, however, the union membership votes to reject the settlement, both management and the union representatives must return to the bargaining table to draft another tentative agreement, which again must be presented for union membership approval. This basic process continues until the membership ratifies an agreement which then becomes the contract.

Collective Bargaining Tactics

Collective bargaining tactics are actions taken by either labour or management to pressure the other side in a collective bargaining situation. There are labour tactics and management tactics.

Labour tactics. These are actions taken by unions in an attempt to influence management to adopt the union viewpoint in a collective bargaining situation. The most important labour tactics (industrial action) are strikes, picketing, go-slows, work-to-rules and boycotting.

A strike, or walkout, is a temporary stoppage of work by employees which lasts until management accepts union demands. The strike is probably the most influential labour tactics available to unions. Unions pay workers from strike funds during the work stoppage and hope that management will decide that a halt in production will be more harmful to the company than the acceptance of the union demands.

Picketing is a labour tactic generally used in conjunction with a strike. Picketing involves positioning one or more union members at the entrance of a struck workplace to stop or make difficult any entry to the workplace. Picketers inform the public that a strike exists, make deliveries to the workplace difficult or impossible, and discourage other people from working their jobs.

Boycotting is a tactic wherein union members refuse to purchase products from companies that are giving a union difficult times. Obviously, the purchasing power of unions can be a very influential labour tactic. In fact, the use of boycotting as a modern labour tactic is on the rise.

A go-slow (GB) or slowdown (US) is a deliberate reduction in the rate of production as a protest.

Working-to-rule is deliberately obeying every regulation in an organization, which severely disrupts normal operations.

Management tactics are actions taken by management in an attempt to influence unions to adopt the management viewpoint in a collective bargaining situation. The most important management tactics are lockouts, injunctions, and associations.

A lockout is a refusal by management to allow workers to work by keeping them out of the workplace. Actually, a lockout is a sort of strike called by management. Through a lockout management hopes to create financial pressures for the union which will eventually influence the union to adopt management’s viewpoint. Although not commonly used by management, the lockout can be an extremely effective tactic.

An injunction is a court order prohibiting or requiring action on the part of someone. In the past employers commonly used injunctions to prohibit various union-related activities within organizations. Today injunctions are primarily used to restrict such actions as violence and physical damage to company property. Injunctions can also be used to force striking public employees back to work when such strikes are illegal.

Certain associations are organizations formed by employers to help neutralize the influence of unions. Like employees, employers have found added strength in bargaining as a unit rather than individually. Assume, for example, that a group of employers offered a union a maximum wage increase, as opposed to individual employers offering the same increase. It would be much harder for the union to apply pressure and strike against all the employers collectively than against one lone employer. In addition, such associations can provide negotiators for employers, and unions may in the future find themselves facing a better and more experienced negotiator than in the past.

Comprehension

1. Finish the sentences according to the texts.

1) Collective bargaining is the process of…

2) In the preparation step both union and management …

3) At the stage of bargaining the two sides …

4) If the settlement is rejected, both management and the union representatives must …

5) Labour tactics are …

6) A strike is a temporary stoppage of …

7) Picketing involves …

8) Lockouts, injunctions and associations are …

2. C omplete the diagram describing collective bargaining tactics.

3. Characterise labour and management tactics.

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