Industrial Relations & Trade Unions

• Industrial Relations is concerned with the relationship

between management and workers, and the role of
regulatory mechanism in resolving any industrial dispute.

• Approaches to IR:
– Unitary Approach: Unions cooperate with the management,
No participation from government or tribunals.
– Pluralistic Approach: Unions balance the power between
management and employees, government and tribunals
participation is encouraged to gain social interest.
– Marxists Approach: Conflict arises not because of rift between
management, but because of the division in the society between
those who own resources and those who have only labour to
offer.
• Parties to IR:
Employees Employers

Employer – Employer
Employee
Employee Associations
Associations
Relationship

Courts & Tribunals

Government

• Employees:
• Commitment to Industry
• Protective legislation
• Status of the worker
• Employment pattern
• IR Decisions:
• Communication
• Relationship
• Competence
• Discipline & Conflict.
• Trade Unions are voluntary organizations of
employees or employers formed to promote and
protect their interests through collective actions.

• Why do employees join unions???????????????

– Dissatisfaction
– Lack of Power
– Union Instrumentality. ( Unions play a pivotal role to
remove dissatisfaction)
• Factors leading to unionization:
Individual ; Personality
Interests & Preference

Expectation from the work

Employment & Psychological Contract

Influence by
Satisfaction Work Situation the
management
Attempt to
Dissatisfaction from the work resolve
situation situation
individually

Union Instrumentality

Unionization
• Strategic choices before the union:
– Bread Butter v/s Political Objectives
– Adversarial v/s Cooperative Role
– Traditional Issues v/s New Practices

• Union Tactics:
– Organization Drive
– Strike
– Invoking Political Patronage
– Blackmailing
• Strategies & Tactics for remaining Union free

Effective first line Open Effective Personnel

supervisors Communication Research

Effective Personnel A Healthy and safe

Planning, Remaining Union working
Recruitment & Free environment
Selection

Effective Training &

Effective Effective Employer-
Development
Remuneration Employee relations
Programmes