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Lesson 1: Contemporary Labor and Employment Relations

Labor and Employment Relations Properly Understood

Labor relations is the study of policies, process, and practices that govern the relationship between labor unions and employers. In any relationship, both the union and employer will establish internal policies designed to promote strategic objectives. Those policies will generate additional policies, processes, and practices that will support achievement of those objectives. In some cases, both the employer and union will collaborate to fashion certain policies, processes, and practices to promote mutual interests.

Let's look at some examples that illustrate how a local union, an employer, and the union and employer together might behave in a related set of circumstances.

 

Union Example

A local union of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) decided as a strategic objective to organize local government offices in and around Philadelphia, PA. As a consequence, the local has developed a 3-day training program designed to familiarize all organizers with the targeted industry and has required everyone to attend the program and pass a posttest.

 

Employer Example

A local government office in the Philadelphia area has discovered that it will be the target of a union organizing campaign. As a consequence, the office has decided to improve its performance management practices as a tool to remain union-free. The performance management plan will go into effect 3 months from today.

 

 

Collaborative Example

A local union of AFSCME successfully organized a local government office in the local Philadelphia area. Within a few weeks, both the union and employer agreed that night shift employees were at risk of armed robbery. The employer and union decided to create a joint labor–management committee to study the risks and make recommendations to improve worker safety.

 

Employment relations is another element associated with the relationship between employers and workers. Even where there is no union, employers must develop policies, procedures, and practices that allow for the effective utilization of the workforce. The human resource function might manage the activities subsumed under the term “employee relations;” however, it will be organizational strategy that will define the overall nature of that relationship. For example, in a later lesson we will address issues related to automation and artificial intelligence and their impact on the workplace and workers. The organization must address issues such as the following:

  • At what point will we substitute new technology for old?
  • What new skills will we require of our employees?
  • How will we address workers lacking those skills? Training? Layoffs?

 


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