Unionization & Labor Relations
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Unionization & Labor Relations: Discussion
The unionization process entails different stages that include the signing of authorization cards that are presented to employees by a support of the concerned union to make the workers sign up and be part of the respective association. According to Mathis and Jackson (2011), unions mounts organized campaigns aimed at recruitment of members by persuading individual employees to join them. However, in many instances, employers respond to efforts focused on unionization through different approaches. Most of these efforts are focused on preventing unionization of employees. These strategies begin when unions start publicity or during the distribution of authorization cards.
In this case, when a coworker brings a union leaflet urging employees to be part of the process to join a union, it is essential to ask if it is a publicity matter and if the management knows the activities. Further, it is vital to ask the coworker if these are efforts aimed at ensuring that people sign authorization cards for members to join the union. Mathis and Jackson (2011) assert that persuasion efforts by unions entail different strategies that include contacting employees personally when they are away from work, sending invitations to employees to attend special sessions as well as publicizing the benefits of members to the union. In the situation, it is possible to ask the details of the union, its benefits to the members and the process of joining it. Again, labor regulations require unions to send materials like leaflets and brochures to employees as they leave their places of work or send through email. However, the unions must ensure that they comply with the regulations developed by labor statutes as well as the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The primary purpose of having publicity even within the workplace is to implore on workers to sign authorization cards.
The signing of these cards is critical to the workers joining the union because it paves the way for the establishment of the union in the organization. Upon being signed, the cards are collected to show the number of employees willing to join a union. When 30% of the employees targeted by the union signs the authorization cards, it implies that they are eager to be members of such a union. The implication is that the employer is mandated to allow the workers to hold elections and choose officials that will represent them. In this case, once the cards are signed, the company should enable employees to have a vote. Lobbying efforts can also start to ensure that over 50% of workers in the organization become members of the union for better bargaining agreements. Once a determination to create a union passes, an election is held to determine if the union will represent the interests of the employees of the firm to the management (NLRB, 2015). In most cases, union elections are supervised by the NLRB for impartiality and ensure that a company does not have undue influence on those elected to represent workers. As such, the unionization is lengthy and requires organizations, especially the unions and companies, to follow laws as well as rules by various entities like the NLRB.
References
Mathis, R. L. & Jackson, J. H. (2011). Human Resource Management, 13th Ed. Mason, OH:
Cengage Learning.
National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) (2015). Conduct Elections. Retrieved from
https://www.nlrb.gov/about-nlrb/what-we-do/conduct-elections