...Trade Union Decline: Australia Sarah Jury An essay discussing the factors contributing to the steady decline in trade unionism in Australia since the 1980’s and the relevance of unions to workers today. M G T S 2 6 0 7 : E m p l o y m e n t R e l a t i o n s W o r d C o u n t : 1 9 8 2 Sarah Jury Trade Union Decline in Australia 42395582 There has been a dramatic decline in trade union membership rates across Australia since the 1980s. In 1986, 46% (or 2.6 million) of employees were trade union members; this figure has steadily declined to 19% (or 1.7million) of employees in 2007 (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2009). By May 2010 trade union membership had fallen to a record low of 18% (or 1.84 million) of employees and remained steady for the past 3 years (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2013). This essay aims to highlight the factors that have played a significant role in the steady decline of unionization in Australia. It focuses on the changing composition of the labour force, the change in governmental policies, the newly empowered role...
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...Managing Employee Relations Assignment Research Essay Is the work of Unions still relevant? A trade union, as defined in the History of Trade Unionism is ‘ a continuous association of wageearners for the purpose of maintaining or improving the conditions of their working lives’.(Webb and Webb, 1911) Unions exist on the basis that they protect the wages and conditions for employees, making sure that they're protected from unemployment by obtaining a substantial degree of job security as well as supporting employees in disputes and claims against their employers.(Murphy, 2014) The relevance of unions may vary from place to place. Using reasoning and statistical day, we will aim to achieve some sort of clarity towards the complexity and variety of opinions that people have on the need for trade unions. Importance of Trade Unions Unions not only negotiate wages, they also have an impact on fringe benefits, labour productivity,work allocation, job security and employee participation practices.(OECD, 1991) There is also a spillover effect, through extension of agreements and employer responses to union environment where some of these benefits alter the employment terms of non union members.(OECD, 1991) A substantial amount of protective legislation supporting unemployment compensation, sickness insurance, employment protection along with occupational health and safety, is the outcome of work by trade unions. History of Union Formation Succeeding guilds of the medieval era...
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...time moves on, the proportion of union and non-union has been changed. According to the research in Workplace Employment Relations Survey (WERS), the proportion of non-union only voice increases from 16% to 40% between 1984 and 1998, instead, that union-only voice decrease from 24% to 9% (Millward et al., 2000). Peter Boxall & John Purcell (2003) defined employee voice as “a term increasingly used to cover a whole variety of processes and structures which enable and sometimes empower employees directly and indirectly to contribute to the decision making in the firm.” Comparing with union representation, Non-union Employee Representation (NER) has been more and more crucial within the representation structure. Based on the research data, Charlwood and Terry (2007) indicate that the development of representation in non-union enterprise has been in a stable situation, with 10% of employees are situated in workplaces where representation is provided through non-union channel. This essay is divided into two parts. Firstly, it will focus on the understanding of non-union enterprise including its differences with union enterprise, management structure and employee relationship in non-union enterprise. Latterly, The essay will conclude whether employee’s vocie can be effecitive in non-union enterprises by analysing different management system. Mainbody How can the growth of non-union enterprise be best explained? Background of Non-union firms In 1980s, profoundly change...
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...The aim of this essay is to discuss whether it is appropriate to consider the employment relationship as a contract, in the sense of voluntary between the two equal parties. Fox (1974:183) argues that it is inappropriate to consider the employment contract is equal and the employment relationship is merely a ‘brute facts of power’. With reference to Fox’s statement, this essay will discuss the nature of employment relationship, the influence of key institutions and their impact for employers and employees, and the three main perspectives at work. This essay will support Fox’s statement as inequality between the employers and employees is often an issue at the workplace. The basis of employment relationship is the relationship that exists between the employer and employee. The employment relationship is the context within which indicate interactions between employees, who may be unionised, and employers are conducted, both collectively and individually (Kelly, 1998). The employment contract is apparently central to the employment relationship. By the middle of the nineteenth century, with the development of Capitalism in Britain, based on the contractual relationship between an employer and employee, wage labour system had largely displaced traditional forms of work relations that are based on status. The role of the employment contract in the employment relationship is that it captures the way in which the employment relationship is an economic transaction, concerning the...
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...purpose of this essay is to describe the Grunwick strike in 1976 by critically evaluating the important aspects of the dispute and its influence on equality and work discrimination. A lot of recent research has been carried out into the causes of the disputes, as the striker’s decision to seek union recognition led to This strike formed an integral part of women discrimination in the workforce. The strike created a symbol of labour solidarity in Britain in support of women and minority workers. (Pearson.2010) since the strikers were basically Asia women this influenced on their appearance, background and origin of the dispute. The Asian women involved in the strike had virtually no experience of waged work in the African countries where they have lived before, and had accumulated few years of employment since arriving Britain. The structure of the labour market was focused on the experience of white blue collar male workers, focusing on technical questions about managerial control and resistance in the process of production. The strike also identified a feminist study into women’s life experiences and location’s in terms of geography, ethnicity, race and family situation combine to shape the identity and subjectivity of different migrant workers (Parrenas, 2001: cited in Pearson 2010). Although, there was a low in which the migrant identity of the workers This essay will critically evaluate the Grunwick strike in 1976 and its influence on equality and trade union policies....
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...defined as according to Rose (2004):the study of the regulation of the employment relationship between employer and employee, both collectively and individually and the determination of substantive and procedural issues at industrial organisational and workplace levels. (Rose, 2004 p.8)There are a number of political factors that have had a significant influence on employee relations over the last 25-30 years such as the influence of the Conservative government from 1979-1997, which included a decline in trade unions, new acts and legislations put in place, and the emergence of the Labour government from 1997 to the present day which has also brought a number of changes to the employee relations context. The Conservative government has had a significant influence on employee relations in terms of changes to the legal framework of labour law. These changes involved the relationships between the employer and employee, the employer and the union and the relationship between the union and the membership. In regards to the employer and employee relationship the Conservative government removed any statutory rights of employees that had previously been put in place during the 1960s and 1970s. This was done in order to encourage flexibility as the government felt that the employee was much more in favour than the employer and that the employer was being faced with an unnecessary amount of pressure to conform to rules which...
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...This essay will demonstrate some of the visible forces created by labor unions and employers having the great advantage of being in control of employees who have significantly played a pivotal role in shaping organizations throughout the 19th century. It is well noted that employees are greatly dependent on earning wages and benefits in order to live and survive. On one side of the spectrum we will see where labor unions have shown great effort in identifying to employer’s what’s best needed for workers such as increase in wages, improved work methods as well as better benefits and entitlements. On the opposite end of the spectrum will identify where labor unions are solely interested in the business of power and control over employees within the organization. As for the employer, this essay will also identify additional types of forces and controls over employees that created and successfully shaped their organization. Labor Control Labor unions have the ability and the purpose of eliminating or reducing inefficiencies within the workplace (Aidt and Sena, 2005, p.104). In order for this to take place workers must collectively demonstrate their needs and concerns to the labor union representative and in-turn that representative communicates with management the identified requests from employees. Some of the desires that are requested by employees are increase in wages, improved working conditions, benefits and entitlements, just to name a few. A true labor union representative...
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...Essay Questions: How and why do the workplace experiences of employees from non – English speaking backgrounds differ from other workers? How can, and should, should actor respond to this? How are these differences manifested, and responded to, in your own workplace? The workplace experiences of employees from Non–English Speaking Backgrounds (NESB) differ from other workers for a number of reasons. Employment opportunity is a primary reason why individuals emigrate to other countries (de Castro et al. 2006). While employment in a host country has benefits, immigrants often face considerable challenges as they learn and adjust to the norms and values of the host culture. In particular, immigrant workers may face the ‘‘double jeopardy’’ of dealing with stressors related to both working in a new country as well as to living in a new society (de Castro, Gilbert & Takeuchi 2008). Like other European countries, Australia is also a very attractive destination for migrant workers. Migrants have been part of Australian society and the Australian workforce since colonisation began in 1788. However the migrant population at the time was of a predominantly European background. It was from the mid-nineteen century when Chinese, Pacific Islander, Lebanese, Afghan, Indian and European migrants arrived and settled in Australia. Due to the gradual liberalisation of Australian immigration policies, the ethnic composition of Australian migrants has shifted significantly, bringing...
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...most robust explanation for the decline in Trades Unions? This essay will look at statistics on membership and density, along with important legislation to conclude whether there has been a decline in trade unions. A trade union is an organisation that looks after the interests of its members, usually employees of a particular industry. Jackson (1982, p.1) cites Webb and Webb (1942, p.1) that a trade union is “A continuous association of wage-earners for the purpose of maintaining or improving the condition of their working lives”. This is a very succinct definition of trade unions, but it gets across their main purpose. Several perspectives will be examined for the function of trade unions in each, to try and determine if one perspective offers a clear and suitable explanation for a potential decline in trade unions. It has been suggested that there has been a decline in trade unions. Hamish Fraser (1999, p.231) indicates that trade union membership was on the rise well into the late 1970’s “In 1974 for the first time ever…union density…crossed the...50% mark overall and would continue to rise until 1979”. This shows that as late as 1979 trade unions were in a very strong position; they had their largest ever membership density. Using figures from Jackson (1982, p.4) we can see that in 1978 there were 462 unions within the UK with 13,112,000 members, and that 80% of total union members within the UK belonged to the biggest 26 unions, all of which had over 100,000 members. These...
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...of the diminution in union forms of representation for the efficiency of employee voice within the workplace In the first decade of the 21st century, HR has been set a large significant number of issues and many subjects such as employee relationship, strategic HR approaches, employee rewarding, people resourcing, management ethics and so forth have attracted great deal of attention, concern and study to analysis their role, effect and contributions in organizations. Even though there are wide ranges of subjects playing different roles in human resource practices, an appreciation of operating the relationship between employees and employers has become an essential position of business and management recently. Traditionally, employers in employee relationship tried to maintain the control of the workforce with the goal of enhancing business performance. Clearly, if workers are treated fairly and respectively, in addition, they have appropriate influence on managerial decision-making, it could better for them perform improvably. Managers prefer grater work outcomes, nevertheless, it could bring employees’ requirements being disregarded or undermined (Budd, 2004). Therefore, employees bond to express their voice appropriately and their interests should be respected. The main way in which workers tend to voice their interests and representations in the workplace is to participate in collective unions so that they could in a position of greater strength; trade unionism has been regarded...
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...Korean Trade Union and Organization of Korean women Workers The Korean Women’s Trade Union, commonly referred to as KWTU, is a union formed to protect the rights of women workers to work and safeguard their rights to equal working conditions and benefits. The Korean Women’s Trade Union was created on August 29, 1999 by members of the Korean Women Workers’ Association United (Broadbent & Ford, 2008). Many working women have been mistreated by their companies, the government and the male-dominated trade unions, due to the extensively imposed practices of "firing women first" during mass lay-offs and the conversion of their status from full-time to part-time. Consequently the KWTU was formed to shed light on and abolish the prejudiced policies and actions endorsed against women workers. Currently, the KWTU has 1,500 union members who are involved in the activities of local units of nine major cities including, Seoul, Inchon, Pusan, Kwanju, Buchon, Ansan-Shuheung, Masan-Cangwon, Iksan-Chonju and Taegu. Protecting the rights of many women workers who are often denied membership in other trade union, the KWTU offers membership to all women workers working in any workplace or region. In fact, 71.8 percent of KWTU's membership consists of irregular women workers (Choi, 2000, Song, 2001). This essay has numerous objectives. First, the fundamental incentives for the configuration of the KWTU will be presented. Principally, the discussion will depict the rising number of women...
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...successful employment relationship is the fundamental element of any successful business or organisation, hence, it is essential and the reason of all the organizations continues seeking methods to improve and maintain these relationships. There are many philosophers and writers have studied and written lots of different theories and approaches that are related to employment relationship. These theories and approaches have changed rapidly from the classical era to the modern era. Furthermore, illustrating issues that have evolved through changes in the employment relations environments such as the nature of work, technology, managerial regimes, regulation, policy and globalisation. The purpose of this essay is to identify and explain the main changes that listed above. The second part of this essay identifies those changes or improvement of employment relations environment that can benefit both the employers and employees by creating a healthy and supportive working environment. Employees who have strong employment relationships, are more satisfied and keen on work, also, they tend to have helpful and friendly co-workers as well as high levels of employee trust and commitment with employer. The establishment of regulation and policies such as labour law, minimum wages, Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) enhance safety and security in workplace. Thus, strong employment relationships are beneficial to both employees and employer. In addition, a better quality of working environment could...
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...European Social Law Essay “In Western European societies, the dissociation between labour law and the law governing markets, which resulted in the emancipation of the former [from the latter], has been of significant relevance” (Antoine Lyon Caen, translation from “Droit Communautaire du marché v.s. Europe sociale”) Discuss whether and to what extent the ECJ's judgements in Viking, Laval, and Rüffert make it difficult to uphold the division between labour law on the one hand and the law of the (internal) market on the other hand, which - according to Lyon Caen - has been characteristic of labour law in Western Europe so far. Dissociation between labour law and law governing markets Labour law emanicapted from law governing markets Is it difficult to uphold labour law? and law of internal market? Balance the two? Introduction Balance the application of the EU's free movement rules (in particular the right to work and provide services in another member state) with the maintenance of different national social systems How will these freedoms affect trade union rights such as the right to collective action and collective bargaining? For a long time there has been a tendancy to look upon the EC as a guarantor of labour and social rights (particularly by the UK) Globalisation poses threats to national protection of labour law. Creates pressure for race to the bottom. So, supranational action is needed to defeat this pressure (justification for...
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...influences to the industrial relations system itself and even on to the society as a whole. This essay explains why the organised employers’ associations (the employer party) and trade unions (the employee party) are different and similar to some extent. The three distinguishing aspects between the two parties include their form of memberships, political linkages and their influence on the state and the setup of their objectives and functions. Two notable similarities on how the parties are organised in similar forms and the functions they perform will also be discussed. Firstly, the membership constituent of an employers association is different from that of a trade union. Looking at the definition of these parties would enlighten a better understanding on the membership of the organisations. In the course book, trade unions are defined generically as representative organisations of workers designed to protect and promote the collective employment interest of the workers. On the other hand, according to (Plowman, 1982) employers’ associations are “organisations consisting predominantly of employers whose activities include participating in determining employees’ conditions of employment on behalf of its members”. Discerning the above definitions with regards to its membership element, it is certain that the memberships of these organisations are distinguished in the sense that trade unions members consist of individual employees while employers’ association members are corporate...
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...Hennessy 1 Practice 2.1.8: Business and Labour 1. You need to analyze the relationship between business and labor. Write a question that your essay will answer. You can use one of the ideas on page 2, or you can come up with your own. The relationship between business and labor is a partnership in the enterprise of making money. What is fair when it comes to work? Labor relations are generally defined as relations between management and workers. They are also called business relations. Workers or group of workers are represented by trade unions. Labor relations may take place on different levels such as regional, national, international. The main challenge for such relation is ability to adapt to emerging changes. The world and technology develops very fast, so do relations between workers and management. Trade unions (also called) labor unions are organizations of workers who united to defend their rights, solving problems in the industry such as wages, working hours, bonuses, Union represented workers and negotiate with the management on behalf of the workers. Such relations are usually accompanied by tensions and conflicts and company owners usually want to earn more and pay less. Workers are willing to work in better conditions for a better salary. Labor unionism in the United States is an expression of the American democratic spirit working itself out in industry is hardly to be doubted. Its beginnings coincided with the period when the free colonies were ...
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