UNION ORGANISING AND

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
Last session
Introduction
Unions do not just happen
Are cause- usually by managements
actions or inactions!!
Climate where workers want to form a
union is created by management


Causes of Unions
Reasons why an employee joins a union
vary from person to person
In general, workers seek something from
unions, which they do not think- can get
from management e.g higher wages,
better job security, fringe benefits, fair
treatment- etc.

Union organising
Usually, employees organise themselves
without outside influence (but sometimes
outsiders persuade employees to
unionise)


Signs of organising activity
Changes in the law (allowing union formation)
Focused union activity in an industry
Poor pay, benefits and employee treatment
High employee turn over and absenteeism rates
higher than the norms for your industry or
community
Company failure to conduct job satisfaction
surveys
Pay and benefits below industry average
If the company procedure for resolving
employee complaints is largely ignored by
employees

Employee behaviour suggestive of
union activity
Groups of employees in conversation that
ends when a manager walks by.
More time in washrooms
Problems being created or magnified by a
few workers
More militant employee behaviour
An increase in questions about company
benefits and policies
Sudden disappearance of sources of
gossip and information

Limits of management response
The law limits management
management can only respond to union
formation within the law.
Management will also need to be careful in
how they respond otherwise- a strike
may ensue!!!

Management campain
Management may ask HRD to mount a
counter attack to union organising
Success may largely depend on how
employees have been treated in the past
It is important for management to increase
communication with employees-through
meetings, bulletins etc.

Collective bargaining
If a union is formed and thus has won the
support of employees to represent them-
then employer is obligated to negotiate
with union in good faith!!
Management has to meet union officials
regularly to discuss such issues as staff
welfare issues and salaries.

Preparations for negotiations
Success of negotiation depends on preparation and
planning
Management needs/must be well informed about
environmental changes (in the economy, policies etc -)
so that they can negotiate from informed point f view.
A bargaining team is assembled by management
usually composed of the organisations lawyer,
organizations industrial relations officer-
Management must know about what other unions have
achieved because their employees are likely to want
to achieve similar gains..

Guidelines for labour negotiations
Know what you want (as management)
Be prepared information is power
Ask questions of clarification
Listen good listening helps understanding and
gives new ideas
Remember that everything is negotiable
Stay calm, cool and collected.
Develop options and strategies
Prepare acceptable alternatives
Bargaining
Most negotiations deal with compensation
of all forms
Hours and working conditions