Verified Document

Human Resources Labor Relationships A Term Paper

If a union thinks an employer has violated the CBA, the union can file a complaint, which may be in the end resolved through a process known as arbitration. Union members pay dues that are used to cover the union's costs. Most union's employee full-time staff that is responsible for running its operations. Even though the staff is paid by union dues, members occasionally volunteer within the union. Some unions also form strikes funds that are used to support workers in the event of a strike. A union works rather like a democracy. Unions hold elections in order to determine officers who will then make decisions and represent the members of the union (Silverman, 2010). The United Auto Workers has recently organized several auto parts plants, including a 220-worker Dana auto parts plant in Virginia and a 1,200-worker Thomas Built bus plant in North Carolina. Even though none of those successes have proved big enough to reverse the union's slide, there is progress being made. The U.A.W.'s membership seems preordained to decline unless they make a breakthrough at the transplants. That is very difficult because the transplants supply union wages and benefits. They are located in areas that are not union friendly and often use Japanese culture that gives workers a small amount of voice and feelings of belonging. They are very hard to break. Professional and technical workers are thought to be even harder to organize. In spite of years of trying, unions have failed to break even one Silicon Valley Company. Unions have to become accustomed to the changing economy in order to be successful. Experts believe that a new model needs to be developed that provides these workers with a chance to take their benefits with them and provides them with a voice that may be external of collective bargaining (Splintered, but Unbowed, Are Unions Still Relevant, 2005).

One model that is being looked at is that of the Communication Workers of America. This model is succeeding with a number of innovative approaches. At I.B.M., for example, 3,000 employees have joined a union-sponsored group, Alliance at I.B.M., that provides an advocacy forum for workers on pensions, career and...

The communications' workers, after persuading Cingular Wireless not to oppose unionization efforts, have organized 22,000 Cingular workers. While the union anticipates adding new at&T members since Cingular has acquired at&T Wireless, it is seeing very little progress with Verizon Wireless, which is forcefully combating unionization. When you take away the terror, workers are eager to sign up. Unfortunately not many unions are organizing so forcefully. A decade ago, the a.F.L.-C.I.O. urged unions to spend at least 30% of their budget on organizing (Splintered, but Unbowed, Are Unions Still Relevant, 2005).
While labor unions are not as well-known today as they once were, they still play a vital role in defending and representing the American workforce. Sweatshop circumstances that were once thought be banished from the U.S., have been seen more and more in recent years. Poor immigrant workers have been regular victims of sweatshops. So unions, labor groups and social activists have reacted by rallying awareness campaigns, lobbying the government for action and talking to clothing companies about whom they contract with. In addition to checking on and reporting unfair working conditions, unions are also important in permitting employees to effectively negotiate for their wages and to offer a support system for employees (Silverman, 2010).

References

Reynolds, Morgan O. (2008). Labor Unions. Retrieved May 13, 2010, from Library of Economics and Liberty, Web site: http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/LaborUnions.html

Silverman, Jacob. (2010). How Labor Unions Work. Retrieved May 14, 2010, from How Stuff

Works Web site: http://money.howstuffworks.com/labor-union5.htm

Splintered, but Unbowed, Are Unions Still Relevant? (2005). Retrieved May 13, 2010, from NY

Times Web site:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/30/business/30labor.html?pagewanted=2

The Law, Employee Rights and How they affect Workers Right. (2006). Retrieved May 14, 2010,

from Labor Union Resources Web site:

http://laborunionresources.org/ORGANIZING.html

Sources used in this document:
References

Reynolds, Morgan O. (2008). Labor Unions. Retrieved May 13, 2010, from Library of Economics and Liberty, Web site: http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/LaborUnions.html

Silverman, Jacob. (2010). How Labor Unions Work. Retrieved May 14, 2010, from How Stuff

Works Web site: http://money.howstuffworks.com/labor-union5.htm

Splintered, but Unbowed, Are Unions Still Relevant? (2005). Retrieved May 13, 2010, from NY
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/30/business/30labor.html?pagewanted=2
http://laborunionresources.org/ORGANIZING.html
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Human Resources Labor/Management Relations Which
Words: 1251 Length: 4 Document Type: Case Study

Both of these things are issues that affect the workers on an everyday basis. The management side of this issue had the power to make these changes and the labor side of the issue in the form of the union did not choose to bargain about them because they understood that they way the contract was written management had the right to make changes such as these. In the case

Human Resource Management Challenges and Roles
Words: 3547 Length: 12 Document Type: Essay

Public Human Resources Management Challenges facing human resource management Human Resource Management is the element of the organization that deals with the human aspect of the organization. The business world today, is very competitive. Every organization must align its resources to the organizational goals and objectives. According to Gill (2009), the employees of an organization are part of its assets just as capital and technology. Proper utilization of human resource can account

Human Resource in Aviation Industry
Words: 1821 Length: 6 Document Type: Term Paper

Human Resource in Aviation Industry Human resources are a set of individuals who make the workforce of an economy. Human capital is a term related to human resources, but to a narrow scope, the term relates to knowledge and skills of a worker. Human resource represents people, Labor, Manpower or talent. Companies view employees as assets, whose actions and skills add value to the organizations. Firms need to practice effective human

Human Resource Management
Words: 1674 Length: 4 Document Type: Research Paper

Human Resource Management Job analysis Job Design and considerations Job design is the arrangement of work in organizations. The arrangement assist employees as well as the organization meet objectives. An effective job design satisfies employees in organizations since it prevents dissatisfaction arising from repetitive work. It also assists organizations by preventing employees from alienation. Additionally, job designs improve on the productivity of an organization. Job designs, however, need to consider the following aspects in

Human Resources a Four Section View of
Words: 1706 Length: 6 Document Type: Essay

Human Resources A Four Section View of Human Resource Management The Traditional vs. The New The traditional view is personnel management which is a group within the organization that helps employees by seeing to their welfare and by seeking to help them perform on the job. Personnel management is involved in recruitment of individuals to fill staffing holes and to make sure that those employees have all the tools they need to be

Human Resource Information Systems: Wal-Mart
Words: 1523 Length: 5 Document Type: Essay

Analyze the appropriateness of HRM technologies and best practices to recommend applications and strategies for your selected organization, in order to improve organizational effectiveness, workforce productivity, and systems integration HRM technologies are essential towards reduction of the cost of operations as well as an increment in the level of consumer satisfaction hence effective management of the resources and available opportunities. Wal-Mart should focus on the quality and efficient automation of the

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now