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Labor Relations Paper
MGT 431
December 16, 2010
Yvonne Jordan
Labor Relations Paper
Organizations today don’t feel the threat of unions as they once did in the past. Unions in the past were formed for the early settlers to protect them against harsh working conditions. Over the years the workplace environments have changed dramatically, more laws are in place to protect employees from employer’s unjust business practices. Organizations need to be held accountable for their business practices and for their overall level of professionalism towards employees. Unions and labor relations are defined and the effects each have on organizations is discussed in this paper. Next, the effects of changes in employee relations strategies, policies, and practices on organizational performance are examined. Lastly, whether unions are still relevant in the United States will be answered.
Unions and Labor Relations
Most employees have to fend for themselves when dealing with the different aspects of getting and maintaining a job. Others may have an opportunity to join or form unions. Unions are organizations that are formed to represent the best interest of each member when dealing with employers. The unions that were formed allowed employees to have a say on the changes in workplace conditions and assist with solving issues in the workplace. The federal law protects employees that wish to form a union without being worried of being penalized or enduring unbearable conditions (Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, & Wright, 2007).
Labor relations were created to educate managers and the leaders of unions on how to resolve conflicts with the least amount of cost. There are three levels of process used when trying to determine a suitable decision that works for the best interest of the company as well as the employees. First is the labor relations strategy, is when companies choose to work with unions or not. Wal-Mart is a prime example of a company that strongly...