main similarities and main differences in features of IR or ER in the UK and USA

INTRODUCTION

Industrial and employment relation are two different approaches that are important to many organisation nowadays, without these two approaches, organisations may lack efficiency and productivity. Industrial relation emphasize on the relationship between the employers, state and workers and how they interact with each other. According to the approach of ER (Employment Relation) in UK, it is on the basis of employers interest where it is formed to protect their rights so there is equilibrium within the organisation. IR also emphasizes on disputes, issues and innovation of techniques to go about solving these issues and problems.  Most of these issues faced and dealt with the IR system are considered as Macro level issues. However ER looks at both the Industrial relation and human resource management where these two aspects are considered with a wide range of ideology towards understanding the IR issues, rules, regulation and even the influence of the economy with the approach of capital and labour. Therefore this essay will discuss the main similarities and main differences in features of IR or ER in the UK and USA. And also discuss any features of IR or ER in UK and USA that were found in the Pacific Island countries.

Similarities in features of IR, ER in UK and USA

TRADE UNIONS

To begin with, the main similarities in the features of IR in UK & USA includes the main actors within the IR system, And that is the Trade union, employers Association, and the state. Also collective bargaining is included in the process of industrial relation as another feature. In the UK, unions were designed in the mid-19^th Century. Thus it is the first union that is born before any other union is formed. According to Frank (Burchill, 1989) he explains and describes various types of Trade union in the UK. He emphasize on ‘craft Union’ as the first union formed to gather and organise workers. He then explains that this craft union were formed with skilled workers and that workers with no training were not accepted as the route to enter the organisation is through family connection. For example, AEU, the ETU & NGA were craft unions formed in UK. Similar to USA, Trade unions emerged in the early 19^th century as craft union whereby workers were skilled craft workers. For example, metal workers, brick layers and carpenters were considered as workers with certified skills that were needed.

EMPLOYERS ASSOCIATION

Moreover, Employers Association is also another aspect that is of important to employments relation which is consists of private bodies which were established to provide information and protects a common interest and right of employers. In UK, The significance of Employers association is that the priority is given to the employee’s relation. Also it involves making use of semi-skilled and skilled labour in employee’s relation in places where there is a high attention on single industry. For example, For UK, Engineering employer’s federation was formed in single industries such as engineering and printing industry (Chand, 2007). Likewise USA, There is a national Employers association of manufacturers and numbers of chamber of commerce. For USA individual employers association have had a great impact on government economy and industrial policies. They advise employers to relocate their business to non-unionised areas so that they can avoid Trade unions. For example, relocation of companies in USA, to southern and western areas, this is known as Sunbelt areas.

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

Collective bargaining by simple definition is the negotiation made to improve wages and conditions of employment. Such act is made by an independent body within the organisation. Examples, A group of employees formed to improve and protect a common interest of employee. In UK collective bargaining has long story way back in the 19^th century (James, 2014).  The history of collective bargaining in the UK has the support of the state where it supports voluntary bargaining as it opposed compulsory bargaining. Same to that of USA, there is much concentration on collective bargaining process. Here the state plays the lowest role and to interfere less on unions and employer’s affairs. Like UK, The state supports more on voluntary bargaining then on compulsory bargaining. Because most of the trade unions within USA had a narrow streamline line of economic focus.

THE STATE

For both countries, USA and the UK, the state plays an important role in the ER and IR system. In USA the state plays the role of and employer as a civil servant of the government, continuously it indorses industrial and employment relation policies, legislation and it provides machinery measures to solve industrial disputes. A classic in USA is that the state supports businesses in the community and that pro employers were not engaged in trade union. From that point of view from the state, hence employers have more economic power and influence over government policies and legislation. Like that of UK, the state as the third party of ER and IR plays the role of an employer because it involves employing the civil servants, secondly it provides mechanisms ,measures to solve industrial disputes through the service of mediation, conciliation and arbitration. The state also amends and passes policies, legislation regarding industrial and Employment Relation.

Differences in features of IR, ER in UK and USA

NON UNIONISED SECTOR  

Non-unionised are employees that are not involved with the unions or in other words, one can say that they are not the members of the trade union. Looking at UK, non-unionised organisation were regarded and seen as small organisations. For example, Family owned enterprises and small retail shops. According to Hoque, he found that there are three kinds of originations that exist in UK within the unionised sector, and that is good firm which offers good rewards, Lucky firms which sometimes offers good and bad rewards. And lastly is the bad firm which blocks workers right with bad working condition and that it does not like trade union (Hunter, 1999). Unlike USA, There are more non-unionised workers and that there are a high percentage of firms in the non-unionised sector. Also the terms and condition of employment are controlled by the management. Managers prefer human resource rather than the IR system.

DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Nowadays and way back then in the industrial period, every country has their own methods of solving issues and disputes. UK has three main measures towards solving disputes within the organisation, and that includes the advisory, conciliation and the arbitration services (Staff, 2020). These services are important because they are effective and efficient to bring about change a find a resolution to the cause of an issue or dispute. For example, lack of proactive made by an employee, the manager must brought advisory measures to that particular employee to enrich the employee’s productivity.       By These systems is said to solve disputes at lower levels than on higher stage of the institution. Unlike USA disputes are solve with the measures of Mediation whereby third party is involve with a neutral state to help employees to make up their own mind regarding to the dispute. Thus the Other two mechanisms to solve disputes in USA are arbitration and litigation where a defendant is to face the judge and the judge is to make decisions regarding the solutions.

LEGISLATION

According to the state, it also plays an important role in passing and amending ER and IR legislation that will affect the organization or to bring about change in the organisation. Such legislation can also find solution to a particular dispute that ascends within the organisation. For UK the state has amended legislation such as the employment act, trade unions and even employers rights or common interest within an organisation. For example, State involves in decision making by making the third party judiciary reforms to find a possible mechanism solution to a particular problem. Whereas USA, where there is a high percentage of non-unionised firms, legislation is only effective in some areas of industrial and employment relation. Changes and reforms to dispute are dealt internally rather than to be based on judiciary board.

Features of IR, ER in UK and USA in the pacific Island Countries

Nowadays, many organisations differ from other organisation in terms of industrial and employment relation. Speaking of which, it create competitive and bargaining. However the state as an IR feature or actor has also been found in the pacific Island countries where it plays an important role. For example, In Vanuatu, the state has amended legislation and policies with regards to employment relation. Furthermore, Collective Bargaining is also another feature found in the pacific whereby an organised independent body of organisation negotiate for wages and conditions of employment. Last but not the least is the employers association. In Vanuatu, VANWOOD is a classic example of employers association where they had an interest in common in putting up a budget, savings and protecting their rights.

CONCLUSION

 To sum up, one has seen the similar features of IR and ER which includes trade unions whereby employers had an organised body to achieve a common interest and protecting their own rights. Moreover, one has looked at the role of the state where it involves the state in amending IR and ER legislation. Employers’ Associations is also discussed which includes private bodies which were established to provide information and protects a common interest and right of employers. Furthermore, one had discovered the difference between the IR and ER which is the non-unionism that consist of employees who are attached to any unions; secondly one has seen also the dispute resolution where it involves the third party finding ways to solve disputes. Lastly, is the legislation that were implemented in regards to the IR and IR system.

Bibliography

Burchill, F. (1989). Labour Relations. Keele University Press.

Chand, A. (2007). Comparative Employment and Industrial Relations. Suva: USP Press.

Hunter, R. P. (1999, August). SmallBusiness. Retrieved February 23, 2020, from SmallBusiness.chron.com: https://smallbusiness.chron.com/advantages-nonunionized-workplace-18433.html

James, B. (2014, May). Economicsdiscussion. Retrieved February 23, 2020, from Economicsdiscussion.net: http://www.economicsdiscussion.net/collective-bargaining/collective-bargaining-definition-types-features-and-importance/31375

Staff, P. (2020, February 19). Havard law School , Program on negotiation, Dialog blog. Retrieved February 23, 2020, from Havard law School , Program on negotiation, Dialog blog.com: https://www.pon.harvard.edu/blog/