PART I

Labor Relations Overview

Chapter 1
Introduction to
Labor Relations

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What Is Labor Relations and Why Study
It?
• Labor relations: Any activity between
management and unions or employees
concerning the negotiation or implementation
of a collective bargaining agreement
• Collective bargaining agreement: A written
and signed document between an employer
entity and a labor organization specifying the
terms and conditions of employment for a
specified period of time
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 What Is Labor Relations and Why Study It?
(cont.)

• Labor organization: Defined in Sec. 2. [§ 152]

of the NLRA and means any employee,
committee or other organization of any kind in
which employees deal with employers
concerning grievances, labor disputes, wages,
hours, or working conditions

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The General Pros and Cons of Union
Membership

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 Why Join a Union?

• Job security
• Wages and benefits
• Working conditions
• Fair and just supervision
• Need to belong
• Collective voice

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 Hard and Soft Issues

• The four most important factors affecting the

health of the American labor movement were
the following:
• Collective bargaining rights
• Leadership in the labor movement
• Union member solidarity
• Action of the NLRB

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 Hard and Soft Issues

• Soft issues leading employees to unionize:

• Recognition
• Protection from humiliation
• Hopelessness
• Double standards
• Lack of control
• Job insecurity
• Broken promises
• Representation
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 Capitalism and Collective Bargaining

• The freedom to enter into contracts and to

decide the use of one’s economic resources
such as capital and labor are essential
concepts in capitalism
• Employers are free to seek employees and
offer them economic resources in exchange
for their labor
• Employees are free to enter into contracts, or
not, for their labor
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 Employee Free Choice Act

• It requires the National Labor Relations Board

to certify a union to represent workers if a
majority signs cards that authorize the union

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 Opportunities for Growth

• Strategic industry focus - The new union

federation Change to Win aims to build
membership and union strength by focusing
on a few strategic industries
• Hospitality industry
• Health care industry
• Airline industry
• Casino industry
• Shipping industry
• Professional workers
• Immigrant workers
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 Types of Unions

• Craft unions
• Industrial unions
• Unions in the entertainment business and
professional sports
• Transportation unions in the railroad and
airline industries
• Unions of agricultural workers

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 National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)

• The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)

oversees most labor relations activities in the
private sector and was created by the 1935
National Labor Relations Act
• The purpose of the National Labor Relations
Act (NLRA) was to minimize industrial strife
interfering with the normal flow of commerce

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National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) (cont.)

• The act lists employer activities considered

unfair labor practices in violation of those
rights:
• Interfering with employees’ rights earlier
enumerated
• Interfering with the formation or administration
of a union
• Discriminating against union members
• Refusing to bargain with employees’
representatives
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National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) (cont.)

• The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is a

five-member body appointed for five-year
terms by the president of the United States,
with the advice and consent of the Senate

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 Jurisdiction of the NLRB

• The NLRB has jurisdiction over persons when

there is a labor dispute affecting commerce or
when there is a controversy involving an
employer, employee, or a labor organization

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 Jurisdiction of the NLRB (cont.)

• The following tests must be met before the

board is empowered to act
• Persons
• Labor dispute
• Affecting commerce
• Employees
• Employers
• Labor organizations

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