Labor Relations Issues

Labor Relations Issues

1. Assume that senior management has just learned that there is a union organizing effort going on, and this is the second time in four years that the hourly employees have tried to unionize. As an HR manager in this union-free company with 500 plants (hourly) employees located in a large industrial city, what actions would you recommend to senior management to remain union-free? Why?

Based on DeMaria (2017), the managers should ensure that the organization they manage remains a union-free organization at the beginning by; ensuring that they acknowledge their workers on their views about unions and the reason why they do not prefer it in their firm. Also, they should combine a union position statement with direction equipment, and in the handbook of the workers. In a situation where the workers feel that their opinion is essential at work, their possibility of looking for union is very minimal. Therefore, managers need to create an open-door policy in their organizations to make workers have a feeling that their opinions and needs are accepted and given much consideration. They should present them with no fear of retaliation.

Also, managers should not forget the golden rule that they all need to have a feeling of how their work is valued. They should ensure that there is competitive pay activities are put in place in the company so that the workers are awarded for a job well done. They should also ensure that the employees’ workplace is fair, safe, and secured. They do this by investigating how employees feel about these issues and respond to their opinions. They should ensure that their workers are allowed to participate in the decisions affecting them. Share the unpopular decisions and their importance in the organization with the workers; they should take responsibility for both their evil and ethical choices, and they should ensure that there is an appropriate procedure for the workers to follow while filing grievances and raising their opinions.

The above remedies for preventing union formation in an organization are helpful to the employers in an organization because unions are dangerous since they behave as monopolies. When the members of the association fail to work, the law provides a stable condition such that nobody can come in and perform their tasks. Therefore, this makes union workers not to compete as required of them, and so they can demand a huge salary, and perform a very minimum task (Hammer, & Avgar, 2017).

2. Assume there has been a discussion about using an employee participation program (EPP) in the workplace. What is your opinion of using an EPP? Why?

The reason why I would suggest that the organization uses the Employee Participation Program is: Apart from the fact that it will properly utilize the human intelligence, and emotional capital, it will as well grant workers with a chance of participating in all these aspects, and opinions. These opportunities will enhance business success, process, and the creation of a favorable environment. It will also make the employees psychologically satisfied as they will feel part of the decision making process. This will give them morale of bettering their performance, the formation of an appropriate method of communication, and generate better and improvised remedies that can help in the implementation of improved processes of the organization.

Besides, it will help in maintaining the best talents; the employees will be proud of their participation in the decision-making process. Therefore, this will make them faithful and loyal to the company and emerge to be valued management partners in achieving a few objectives and success. Lastly, it is considered the best way of bettering the company’s productivity.

3. What are the advantages of an EPP?

It is cheaper in terms of time and money spent during its implementation; it facilitates creativity and innovation in an organization as different opinions are arising from the participation of employees. Also, there are minimal disagreements amongst the employees as there is increased cooperation, understanding, and mutual faith (Buhl, Blazejewski, & Dittmer, 2016).

4. What are the disadvantages of an EPP?

As usual, anything that is good must have its demerits. The EPP drawbacks are like, security risk as sharing of critical information with many individuals creates high chances of data leaking out. Also, unions might oppose it since they believe that managers may implement the involvement program, which may hinder employees from applying individual union representation (Tamborini, & Kim, 2017).