Name Course labor relations
Section 1
Question 2 Steps necessary in forming a union in a business of 100 members
A union is basically an organization of employees which is protected by law. It is an organization where a group of workers come together in order to improve their terms of work as well as protect their benefits, wages and general working conditions. It also allows the employees to get a means of achieving fairness and respect on the job as well as a stronger voice to influence the decisions of the employer.
Step 1: members know their legal rights
Members should learn their legal rights before starting the formation of a labor union. The National Labor Relations Act gives all workers the right to a number of privileges which include the right to:
Participate in meetings to chat forward on issues relating to joining a union during non-work time.
Discussing about the union when other non-work discussions are permitted
Distribute and read union literature on condition that one does this in non-work premises and during non-work times such as breaks and meal hours
Sign a card and/or petition to indicate support for a union
Request other employees to join or support the union.
Step 2: gathering of information
Information is gathered about where the members of the intended union work. Such information includes the issues facing the workers, the common theme, such as the need for pay equity or the end of unfair treatment in the business. Information is also gathered on whether other co-workers share the similar interest as well as the means of communicating with them (Nolan 34). Information should also be sought on the possible social and political environment of the workplace. This is crucial as it determines the nature of the interaction between and among the members and also between the union and the employer.
Step 3: Build the union
Efforts to form a union vary according to the workplace. However the most fruitful way is for the employees of a business to take responsibility of the process themselves.
The members will create a representative group of co-workers, usually referred to as “organizing Committee” to ensure that their efforts to forming the union succeed. This committee educates fellow workers concerning the benefits of the union and their rights under the law. It also motivates co-workers to work with confidence as well as helping them come up with a winning strategy.
Step 4: making the union official
After the group has shown strong majority support for the creation of the union, then next step is to make the union official. Strong support is shown by the signing of petition or “authorization” cards. There are different ways to do this depending on the type of workplace the members are working in. one common way is to ask the National Relations Board, a neutral government agency, to have a secret ballot election. However, public employees can have their own state agency hold an election depending on the state. Another way is to have the employer voluntarily recognize the union (Nolan 67).
Step 5: winning a strong union contract
The efforts of forming a union do not stop upon the winning of recognition. The next stage, which is winning a fair contract, is just as crucial. Once the union has been officially certified, the employer will be legally needed to negotiate in good faith with the union to get a written and legally binding contract covering all the aspects of the employment.
Question 3: Unions make managers good mangers
Unions help mangers to treat the employees as their business partner. It is through unions that the employers and the employees share their problems. Managers can take their problems to the leaders of the employee union and include them the process of finding solution to the issue. The manager can work side side-by-side with the union rep. when the management has a problem with an employee; the management goes to