 Is the relationship which exists

between employers and employees.

 It is most important that this
relationship is good.
 Discussions taking place on an ongoing
basis

 Disputes over wages, working

conditions and promotion can be
settled without a strike
 Disputes and strikes

 Loss of pay for employees

 Loss of profits for employers

 Unhappy workers looking for new jobs

 An organisation formed by workers to
protect the interests of their members.
 Protect the rights of their members
 Negotiate wages and salaries
 Negotiate work conditions
 Represent members at National Pay
Agreements
 Higher standard of living for members-
better wages and conditions
 Greater job s ecurity if union
is powerful
 Increased bargaining power, one voice
for all worker
 Protection against discrimination or
unfair dismissal
 Industrial Unions: members work in the
s a m e industry e g banking (IBOA) or
nursing,(INO Irish Nurses Organisation)
 Craft Unions: members belong to
a particular trade and have served
an apprenticeship e g Brick and
Stonelayers Trade union
 White Collar Unions: members are
usually professional e g teachers unions
ASTI, TUI, INTO
 General Unions: members come from a
variety of occupations e g SIPTU
(Services, Industrial, Professional and
Technical Union)
Is the local union representative and is
elected by members for a term of 1 to 5
years

Main Duties
1. Recruit new members
2.Act as a link between members and union
headquarters
3.Negotiate with an employer on behalf of
members
Voluntary body made up of members for all
trade unions
1. It provides one voice for all member
unions
2.Nominates people to the Labour Court and
the Labour Relations Commission
3.Consulted by the government on all
matters of national interest e g employment,
social welfare, taxation, wages
 Represents all employers in
negotiations with trade unions and the
government
 It gives a voice to members on all
aspects of industrial relations.
PA
Y E X T R A PAY F O R W O R K D O N E


WORKING CONDITIONS
 SAFER WORK AREAS
 e.g. C L A S S S I Z E S , H O L I D A Y S … .
D I S M I S S A L OF WORKERS
 E N S U R I N G THAT E M P L O Y E E S ARE
FAIRLY D I S M I S S E D

REDUNDANCY
 WHAT E M P L O Y E E S A R E L A I D OFF
FIRST- L A S T I N F I R S T O U T (LI FO)

DEMARCATION
 ONLY D O I N G T H E W O R K O N E I S
EMPLOYED A N D QUALIFIED TO D O
 W o r k t o rule: where employees will only do
the exact work they were employed to do
 G o S l o w : where employees do their work
but do so as slowly as possible
 O v e r t i m e b a n : where employees refuse to
do any overtime required by their
 employer
Strike: where workers stop working and
place a picket on the employer. If the strike
is official it will have the backing of the
union and the ICTU
1. Workers and the supervisor discuss
the problem.
2. The shop steward and H R M discuss
the problem.
3. A top union official and management
discuss the problem.
4. Conciliation: A 3 r d party e g Labour
Relations Commission, brings
both parties together.
5. Arbitration A 3 r d party such a s the
Labour Court is asked to make a
decision, which the disputing parties
must agree to.
 Conciliation Service: parties are
brought together, and are encouraged
to come up with a settlement
themselves.
 A d v i s o r y Service: LRC offers advice
to employers and employees on
Industrial relations matters
 It appoints R i g h t s C o m m i s s i o n e r s .
Investigates disputes concerning
individual workers or small group of
workers
 It appoints equali ty officers.
Investigates disputes on issues of
equality and discrimination in
the workplace.
Functions
Is a court of last resort and final appeal
 Investigates disputes that cannot be
settled
 Registers employment agreements
 A 3 r d party/ LRC or mediator brings both
sides of a dispute together and helps
them find a resolution
 The proposal of the conciliator is not
binding in industrial relations
 Both parties to a dispute agree in
advance to the decision of a 3 r d party.
 e.g. Labour court.
 Is a pay agreement between the social
partners eg ICTU (workers), IBEC
(employers) and the Government.
 It is binding on all employers and
employees in the country.
When each employer negotiates with
their own employees on pay and
conditions.
 It is illegal to discriminate on the
grounds of marital status, gender,
family status, religious belief, age,
disability. Race, membership of
traveller community, sexual orientation
 There must be equal pay for m en and
women
 Industrial relations
 Trade Unions and Shop Steward
 ICTU
 IBEC
 Causes of Industrial Relations Disputes
 Industrial Action
 Resolving a Dispute
 Equal
Opportunities