Table of Content

Introduction..........................................................................................................................................................

Body.....................................................................................................................................................................

Conclusion...........................................................................................................................................................
Topic: Labor Relations 2

Introduction
The term "labor relations" refers to the procedure utilized by management, unions, and

employees to reach choices inside businesses—the judgments concerned compensation, working

conditions, working hours, workplace security, and grievances. This goes hand in hand with

labor unionism, a neutral organization that serves as a point of contact between employees and

the management of their businesses. Although they can also represent professors and other

educated people, labor unions often represent manual labor workers, such as factory workers and

janitors. At union meetings, members who are represented by unions have the opportunity to

voice problems to their union reps, who then communicate those concerns to top management.

To improve their members' salaries, benefits, and working conditions, unions can also bargain on

their behalf.

In this paper, we will look at all of these, including the strengths and weaknesses of control

unionism, whether unions are beneficial, and also look at the only union that represents public

service (PSU).
Topic: Labor Relations 3

Body

Question one: Do you think a Union Liaison is required if your Ministry/Department is not

encountering any issues and both employees and Management have a good working

relationship?

Union liaison refers to someone that helps foster professional relationships between two or more

parties or organizations for their mutual benefit. If an institution is not encountering any issues and

employees and management have a good working relationship, having a union liaison may not

seem necessary. However, there are still a few reasons why having a union liaison may be

beneficial, so yes, a union is their life insurance. Everything can be good today, but tomorrow is

another story. Over time the forces of the economy can pressure employers to become hostile.

Employers may find themselves in situations where they must put their business and its

obligations before the employee. They may need to cut back and cut salaries which would come

off as unconstitutional (no regard for labor laws); you will then need the help of the unions. An

example of this would be before the COVID pandemic, everything was good for most

employers, and the pandemic forced many employers to cut staff hours or even have some doing

double shifts without OT. Many people were terminated because businesses could not afford to

pay them. Who will fight for you in these situations, or who will be able to represent you and

look after your best interest?

The major strength of job control unionism is that the wage raises and benefits are plainly stated,

allowing employees to know what to expect at work and at what times in their careers, which is

one of its key advantages. They cannot engage in those behaviors since they know how they can

face punishment. Under job control unionism, equity is attained through standardization and
Topic: Labor Relations 4

treating all employees fairly. One of control unionism's primary weaknesses is that salaries are

based more on work tenure than on talent. For instance, if you leave one library where you have

worked as a librarian for ten years and go to another, your pay will be reset to what it was when

you first started. Many argue that employee empowerment unionism should take on the role of

job control unionism, as it is more modern. On the other hand, if a company needs a starting

wage, well-defined benefits, and discipline procedures, hiring and firing negotiations may take a

lot of time and effort. Additionally, it can be problematic in a lousy economy since workers

might agree to accept much lower pay to secure employment. Additional advantages include

Unions protecting the union worker when it concerns work safety, benefits, or employee rights,

Union employees making more money than non-union workers, and Union employees usually

staying employed at the same place longer than a non-union. The principal weakness is when a

corporation has a union; the union, not the company, controls the workers. In that case, the

company's flexibility in organizing the work is limited. Therefore, it prevents productivity and

creative approaches to changing the procedures of tasks.

Flexibility in terms of changing job definitions, relocating employees, and changing production

techniques is needed by extensive work rules. Job control unionism does not adhere to the

practice of including workers in decision-making, which reduces the chance of gathering

suggestions from workers for operational development and productivity. Since change is

delayed and a formal system must be followed to resolve the issue, employees are not allowed

to speak up.

As it relates to the number of PSU members and its size as compared to the number of officers

employed by the Government, one of the main reasons the numbers are lacking is due to

accountability, honesty, and trustworthiness. PSU can start by actively enforcing accountability
Topic: Labor Relations 5

and transparency within Union management. We cannot fight for it but don't lead by example. If

people understand and see the benefits of being a union member, you will have more members

and active members. Especially with union fees and union executive decisions, we must be

transparent. The unions can increase their members by reaching out to new hires when they join,

building trust within the workforce. If the newly hired are the main targets of the union, they will

receive a lot of new intakes. It should be a situation whereby a meet and greet is set up so that

persons could go out and inquire about the benefits of joining a union. If more people trust the

work of the union, they will join. Staying away from politics and being neutral to gain members’

confidence that the union will fight for their best interest.

Unfortunately, the PSU is not correctly representing its members’ needs. The members are not

active; because a lot of negative information is being leaked about the union, therefore, decisions

are made by a minority who are the same disloyal and dishonest members that drag the union’s

name through the dirt. The need for larger membership is not even known. The support is there

for them to represent us. Executive members can only do so much with a bit of support. Plus,

they are not aggressive in demanding better from the government - the support is not there.
Topic: Labor Relations 6

Conclusion
To conclude, both unions are essential once in the working field. While yes unions have their

pros and cons, for the most part, once the union is operating at its total capacity or in its best

interest, it will be very beneficial for its members.

By ensuring that the employer and the employee receive equal justice in the workplace, job

control unionism has long given security to both workers and employees in the business world

(Williams et al., 2015). Since certain job control unionism acts as barriers to the efficient

operation of the business, job control unionism may play a role in the success or failure of a

corporation. Business sector participants have a choice about their participation in the job control

unionism sector. The globe is expanding quickly, and everyone wants to make as much money as

possible. This strategy guarantees protection while pursuing profit maximization.