The influence of Marxist approach on employee and employer relations

cannot be overemphasised. The focus of this essay is to examine the

influence of the Marxist approach on employee and employer relations. The
Marxist approach or radical approach, concentrates on the nature of the
society surrounding the organisation (Ackers, 2005). It assumes, and
emphasises, that the organisation exists within a capitalist society where
the production system is privately owned and that the employee and
employer relations is characterised by underlying structural inequality and
struggle for power and control (Otobo, 2000). A comprehensive analysis is
given below.

To begin, the Marxist approach influences employee and employer relations

with regards to conflict at the workplace. Based on Marxist perspective,
conflict will constantly take place between employer and the workers due to
occurrence of basic disparities (Gennard and Judge, 2002). In this
perspective, employers and workers are opposed to cooperate and a hostility
principle prevails, workers distinguish themselves as “us employees against
those employers”, which shows that resistance of working together (Rose,
2008). There is struggle between employers and employees to consolidate
and strengthen their respective positions to exert a greater influence by the
one on the other (Hyman, 1995). Thus Marxist approach says employee and
employer relations is characterised with conflicts. This conflict arises as
either the employee or employer aim to strengthen their position and exert
great influence over the other. The conflicts between employee and employer
are projected in collective job action or industrial actions at the workplace.
Thus employee may embark on strikes and whilst employers resort to
lockouts to exert a greater influence. For example Zimbabwe has been
plagued by a succession of strikes. Nurses in 2018 embarked on a strike in
protest over the government’s failure to improve their working conditions
(Newsday, 2018). Workers at a Bubi-based Chinese gold mining company
were locked out for demanding back-pay, salary increments, transport
allowances and company provided accommodation (Newsday, 2019). These
two examples show the conflicts at the workplace and the influence of the
Marxist approach on employee and employer relations.

Furthermore, the Marxist approach influences employee and employer

relations with regards to militant trade union movements at the workplace.
According to Kaufman (2004) the Marxist approach argues that disparities
of power and economic affluence are perceived as the fundamental nature of
the capitalist society. Thus, it is then just normal for unions to react on
behalf of workers who are exploited by the capitalist, and in this regard,
conflict is expected (Salamon, 1987). Also trade unions implement their
basic conservative practice of negotiation as they become entangled with
management and they are anxious with the bureaucracy of management
and in this regard they are viewed as not advancing issues of interest of
their members (Edwards, 2005). The common interest of the workers is
primarily to improve working conditions and to influence decisions in the
workplace. Thus Marxist approach assumes that employee and employer
relations is characterised by militant trade unions and social movements. In
the past Zimbabwe experienced militant trade union that confronted
government to assert its rights and demand changes. For example ZCTU
organised a two-day strike in December 1997 against undesirable taxes,
dubbed a “stay away”, which at the time was the largest mass action seen in
Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe independent, 2015). The ZCTU in 2019 called for a
national strike from after the government more than doubled fuel prices and
the leaders were arrested and charged with subversion (Newsday, 2009).
These two examples show the Marxist approach influences on employee and
employer relations.

In addition, the Marxist approach plays a bigger influence on employee and

employer relations with regards to the use dirty tactics in collective
bargaining at the workplace. The radical perspective emphasises the degree
of conflict and disorder in employment relations (Hyman, 1975). Collective
bargaining is assessed as promoting workers’ militancy within the confines
presumed to be tolerable to the employers (Rose, 2008). The collective
bargaining process is perceived to (at least temporarily) accept, facilitate and
ultimately support the inherent contradictions of capitalism (Ackers, 2005).
As one employer and employees struggle to exert their influence acts of
sabotage and dishonest are prevalent (Otobo, 2000).  For example in
Zimbabwe, employers have also been blamed for failing to disclose full
information during deliberations in contravention of labour laws, with
workers pointing out to the difference between slavery and employment as
ultimately being the payment of agreed wages (The Herald, 2019). Hence one
can say that the influence of Marxist approach on employer and employee
relations cannot be overemphasised.

Moreover, the Marxist approach influences employee and employer relations

with regards to low wages paid to employees by employers. The Marxist
approach is primarily oriented towards the historical development of the
power relationship between capital and labour (Gennard and Judge, 2002).
It is also characterised by the struggle of these classes to consolidate and
strengthen their respective positions with a view to exerting greater
influence on each other (Salamon, 1985). In this approach, industrial
relations is equated with a power-struggle. The price payable for labour is
determined by a confrontation between conflicting interests (Ackers, 2005).
The capitalist ownership of the enterprise endeavours to purchase labour at
the lowest possible price in order to maximise their profits (Hyman, 1975).
The lower the price paid by the owner of the means of production for the
labour he employs, the greater is his profit (Edwars, 2005). The Marxist
approach influence employee and employer relations by indicating unequal
distribution of power and the desire of employers to play low wages to
employees. For example workers at a Bubi-based Chinese gold mining
company, Ming Chang Sino Africa Mining Investments (Pvt) Ltd, have taken
their employer to the national employment council (Nec) for the mining
industry over underpayment of wages (Newsday, 2019). Hence one can say
that the Marxist approach influence employer and employee relations.

In conclusion, the Marxist approach influences employee and employer

relations. The Marxist approach explains that employee and employer
relations are characterised by the existence of conflicts, militant trade
movements, the use of dirty tactics in collective bargaining and the
underpayment of workers.
REFERENCES

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Adams, R. J. (1983). ‘Competing paradigms in industrial relations’. Relations

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Gennard, J. & Judge, G. (2002), Employee Relations (third edition),

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Hyman, R. (1995). “Industrial Relations in Theory and Practice.” European

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Hyman, R. (1975). Industrial Relations: A Marxist Introduction. London:

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https://www.newsday.co.zw/2019/06/chinese-gold-mine-workers-take-
employer-to-nec/

https://www.herald.co.zw/pain-of-collective-bargaining/