Industrial Relations

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Working Life
Industrial Relations
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Industrial Relations

• Is the relationship which exists between
  employers and employees.
• It is most important that this relationship is
  good.

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Good Industrial Relations Lead To

• Discussions taking place on an ongoing basis
• Disputes over wages, working conditions and
  promotion can be settled without a strike

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Poor Industrial Relations

• Disputes and strikes
• Loss of pay for employees
• Loss of profits for employers
• Unhappy workers looking for new jobs

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Trade Unions

• An organisation formed by workers to protect the
  interests of their members.

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Functions of a Trade Union

• Protect the rights of their members
• Negotiate wages and salaries
• Negotiate work conditions
• Represent members at National Pay Agreements

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Benefits of joining a Trade union

• Higher standard of living for members- better
  wages and conditions
• Greater job security if union is powerful
• Increased bargaining power, one voice for all
  worker
• Protection against discrimination or unfair
  dismissal

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Types of Trade Unions

• Industrial Unions members work in the same
  industry eg banking (IBOA) or nursing,(INO Irish
  Nurses Organisation)
• Craft Unions members belong to a particular
  trade and have served an apprenticeship eg Brick
  and Stonelayers Trade union

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Types of Trade Unions

• White Collar Unions members are usually
  professional eg teachers unions ASTI, TUI, INTO
• General Unions members come from a variety of
  occupations eg SIPTU (Services, Industrial,
  Professional and Technical Union)

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Shop Steward

• Is the local union representative and is elected
  by members for a term of 1 to 5 years
• Main Duties
• Recruit new members
• Act as a link between members and union
  headquarters
• Negotiate with an employer on behalf of members

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Industrial Relations Disputes

• PAY
• EXTRA PAY FOR WORK DONE
• WORKING CONDITIONS
• SAFER WORK AREAS
• e.g. CLASS SIZES, HOLIDAYS.

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• DISMISSAL OF WORKERS
• ENSURING THAT EMPLOYEES ARE FAIRLY DISMISSED
• REDUNDANCY
• WHAT EMPLOYEES ARE LAID OFF FIRST- LAST IN FIRST
  OUT (LIFO)
• DEMARCATION
• ONLY DOING THE WORK ONE IS EMPLOYED AND QUALIFIED
  TO DO

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INDUSTRIAL ACTION BY UNIONS

• Work to rule where employees will only do the
  exact work they were employed to do
• Go Slow where employees do their work but do so
  as slowly as possible
• Overtime ban where employees refuse to do any
  overtime required by their employer
• Strike where workers stop working and place a
  picket on the employer. If the strike is official
  it will have the backing of the union and the ICTU

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How to Resolve an Industrial Dispute

1. Workers and the supervisor discuss the problem.
2. The shop steward and HRM discuss the problem.
3. A top union official and management discuss the
   problem.

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4. Conciliation A 3rd party eg Labour Relations
Commission, brings both parties together. 5.
Arbitration A 3rd party such as the Labour Court
is asked to make a decision, which the disputing
parties must agree to.
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Functions of Labour Relations Commission

• Conciliation Service parties are brought
  together, and are encouraged to come up with a
  settlement themselves.
• Advisory Service LRC offers advice to employers
  and employees on Industrial relations matters

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• It appoints Rights Commissioners. Investigates
  disputes concerning individual workers or small
  group of workers
• It appoints equality officers. Investigates
  disputes on issues of equality and discrimination
  in the workplace.

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Labour Court

• Functions
• Is a court of last resort and final appeal
• Investigates disputes that cannot be settled
• Registers employment agreements

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Conciliation

• A 3rd party/ LRC or mediator brings both sides of
  a dispute together and helps them find a
  resolution
• The proposal of the conciliator is not binding in
  industrial relations

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Arbitration

• Both parties to a dispute agree in advance to the
  decision of a 3rd party.
• e.g. Labour court.

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National Wage Agreement

• Is a pay agreement between the social partners eg
  ICTU (workers), IBEC (employers) and the
  Government.
• It is binding on all employers and employees in
  the country.

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Local Wage Agreement
When each employer negotiates with their own
employees on pay and conditions.
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Equal Opportunities Employer

• It is illegal to discriminate on the grounds of
  marital status, gender, family status, religious
  belief, age, disability. Race, membership of
  traveller community, sexual orientation
• There must be equal pay for men and women

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Recap and Review

• Industrial relations
• Trade Unions and Shop Steward
• ICTU
• IBEC
• Causes of Industrial Relations Disputes
• Industrial Action
• Resolving a Dispute
• Equal Opportunities