Abstract
Trade unions play dominant roles in the enactment of employment relations in both within a country and in the international arena. Within the sphere of employment relations, states working in collaboration with the employers form and set mechanisms that see the introduction of collective bargaining approaches in matters relating to the interests of the parties represented by trade unions and the employees. The paper considers the trade union in employment relations for Australia in the light of international trade union relationships in employments.
Introduction
Trade unions amicably regulate the existing relationships between the employers and the people they represent. They have the obligation to “lobby government in relation to variety of issues including taxation, superannuation, child care and social justice matters” (Martin & Cristescu 2000, p.351). In Australia, trade unions have been part of the system of the industrial relations over a century.
Martin and Cristescu, reckons that “as a representative organizations they campaign on behalf of their members to achieve the best possible working conditions and represent employees in disputes and negotiations” (p.351). Trade unions have chiefly been dependent on labor relations legal control with their strategies resting on practices and ideologies of social partnerships. “While the traditional unions were deeply compromised by their subordination to party, their integration , into state apparatus and their close collaboration with management in the work place, the unions appeared to be the movement of the future” (Clarke & Ashwin 2002, p.1).
Collective bargaining and adoption of the anti-unionism strategies encompasses some of the strategies that employers are adopting within the states giving substantial support to such endeavors. In addition, redefinition of trade unions has received profound attention in an attempt to ensure that the new trade union face ends up being sensitive to gender and accommodate varying political views.
Trade Unions in Employment Relations in Australia
In Australia, redefinition of the existing trade and employment relations has occurred over centuries, with climax marked by the introduction of collective bargaining as a replacement of mandatory arbitrations in 2009. Written by Coopers, Ellem, Briggs and Broek in 2009, the article Anti-Unionism, Employer Strategy, and the Australian State is a research study conducted with the aim of examining “ the principal types of employer strategies in relation to trade unions across blue-collar and white-collar, new and old economy, workplaces from the mid 1990s in Australia” (pp. 339-340).
To arrive at the results, Coopers et al borrowed largely from data acquired through group and personalized research projects based on trade onions in employment relations in Australia compiled over a decade before. Union papers, manuscripts, company papers among other sources provided both quantitative and qualitative data while not negating one on one response from south Wales elected union leaders, officers working in the industries and organizers.
Upon analysis of the data, two essential findings were registered. Some, “…employer tactics, which seek to de-unionize, and to “substitute” for unions are not utilized in isolation from each other but are often part of a multilayered, overlapping employer strategy aimed at de-collectivizing employment relations and enhancing managerial prerogative and control” (p. 340). The researchers, in addition, found out that the state played a substantive role in fostering employer’s anti-unionism strategies.
Coopers et al (2009) notes, “hardening of employer strategies towards trade unions are common trends across the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, but the proliferation of anti-union employer strategies in Australia still appears quite exceptional by international standards” (p. 339). Loud calls emanating from varying lobby groups seeking collectivization of various existing employment relationships within Australia labor market have received reciprocation.
This has resulted since the Australian federal government, not only facilitate the strategies geared toward the enhancement of the noble cause, but also has over the years proactively come up to drum up support for employer strategies anti-unionization.
Coopers et al (2009) identify four strategies, which the employers deploy to enhance collectivization of trade unions: “employer lookouts, individualization of bargaining, counters to organization campaigns, and use of human resource in recruitment and selection” (p. 339).
Important to pinpoint is the fact that despite, the emergence of new management practices especially in the era of globalization, which prompt trade unions to undergo de-collectivization, the state spearheads majority of the Australia trade unions and employer relationships with reconfigurations. According to Coopers et al (2009), “legislative and non-legislative interventions, which create opportunities, incentives and pressures for firms to adopt anti-union strategies” (p. 340) have promptly done this.
Coopers et al however, suggests a joining of hands between the government and employers to act on passive trade union organization. It is worth appreciating the fact that trade unions have the capacity to object some of the policies laid out to regulate the relationships between the individuals they represent and employers for the establishment of a collective bargaining ground, especially in accordance with international revitalization of trade unions.
However, a substantive environment for addressing issues afflicting both sides must be in place. Nevertheless, the employers and the state have an amicable obligation to set out the foundation and the subsequent path for collective bargaining.
The “hardening of employer strategies towards trade unions are pervasive trends across the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and particularly in Australia; a country once regarded as a progressive, union-friendly “social laboratory” (Coopers et al, 2009, p. 358). The existence of dwindled trade union densities as discussed by Coopers et al has the repercussions of shifting and re-shaping the employment relationships.
Trade unions play significant roles in improving employments relation all over the world. The renewal of trade unions in Australia with the aim of changing the sociopolitical working and business environment has remained one of the central challenges for trade union leaders in this country. This follows because the reform strategies have to accommodate diverse issues such as legislative change, gender, increase in part-time work, and environmental concerns.
Written by Dawson and Michael in 2009, Cultural Issues in Organizational Change: The Case of the Australian Services Union is a research article conducted on ‘Australian Services union (ASU)’ with the aim of “examining legislative change, gender, and challenges of trade unions renewal” (p. 19). The research identifies the main challenges faced by trade unions in Australia as they implement various employment relation policies and practices.
The research conducted using extensive study of the structure of trade unions showed the objectives that the trade unions sought to achieve. The study, done on the diverse changes related to trade union enacted in this country served to determine their impact to the employment relationships in Australia. Dawson and Michael expounds on the organization of trade unions and challenges they face when addressing the issues of renewal and employment relations.
Employment in Australia has undergone tremendous changed mainly contributed by the growth of part-time employment strategies. The ‘Australian Services union (ASU)’ is an amalgamated organization which operates using semi-autonomous branches with the head office situated in Melbourne and a smaller union’s national office located in Sydney. Trade unions focus on advocating for workers rights through collective bargaining and use of other means like boycotts and strikes.
In their research, Dawson and Michael examine experiences of a specific union, which is the Australian Services Union (ASU). This union covers a wide range of Australian organizations with massive membership supporting distinct political perspectives. The union draws most of its membership from employment areas that have undergone remarkable growth in utilization of part-time work. Increase in the number of women members has sparked gender and political issues that result in questioning of the traditionalist approaches to union’s change and strategy.
As Dawson and Michael (2009) reckons, “Gender issues, amalgamations, increase in part time employment, legislative change, competing political views and agendas, culture and history of trade unions are the factors that influence uptake and development of employment relations” (p. 20). The methods used during this research included making contacts or conducting interviews with the officials of this union so as to get relevant materials on various changes and employment relations facing ASU.
Fieldwork played a crucial role of gathering relevant information concerning ASU union and the challenges it is facing in its quest for improved employment relations. As Dawson and Michael (2009) comments, “…the execution of the main research fieldwork for this study took place in South Australia from November 1998 to November 2001” (p. 25). In addition, the research employed discussions with union administrators. The researchers also attended social events, branch barbecues, and work dinners to socialize with all stakeholders and gather relevant information.
Information garnered from this research shows employment relations are undergoing many changes due to current gender, cultural, and legislative changes. As Dawson and Michael (2009) postulates, “the ASU union made conscious decisions recruit more women officials and members in an attempt to reposition itself as an organization that is women-oriented” (p. 28). This reinvention stood out as paramount for the survival of this union.
However, there are many barriers to this change in employment relations especially form branches which are male bastion branches from early times. These findings showed that practices and policies that limit execution of new policies within the organizations maintain cultural reluctance to union changes.
The many changes experienced in workplaces such as shifts in employment patterns and new legislations have affected employment relation, as many employees show signs of frustration, fatigue, and dissatisfaction with the union’s management. Although there is an increase in number of union members in Australia, density levels of unions, as well as involvement of employment relations continue to decrease.
Dawson and Michael (2009) argue that, “the legislative change introduced by Howard Government in Australia further weakened employee representation system and for instance, their abilities to question the firing and hiring practices of the management” (p. 37). This has made achievement of unions’ objectives in fighting for the employee’s rights hard and cumbersome. It appears that the trade unions movements have reached critical junctures where collective bargaining forms are constrained by socioeconomic changes as well as legislative changes.
Trade Unions and Employment in the International Arena
The density of trade unions has been declining all over the world. This has affected employment relations in many countries. Authored by Devinatz in 2010, Trade Unionism under Globalization: The Death of Voluntarism and the Trend to Politics is a research study conducted with the aim of examining “How the United States’ trade unions have declined and the reasons why trade union voluntarism has died and in turn trade unions have turned to politics” (pp. 16-32).
The methods employed by Devinatz in his unique study included using collected data, studying journals written by other researchers, and field study through questionnaires and interviews. Trade unions in the United States have failed to use collective bargaining and they have turned to national politics as a tool to attain their desired objectives. As Devinatz (2011) reckons, “The dramatic decline experienced in the United States’ trade union density has resulted in a negative impact of the U.S. labor by discouraging the usage of strikes as economic weapons to achieve objectives of the trade unions and undermining collective say and bargaining power” (p. 16).
This contribution has resulted from the increased competition witnessed in the private markets in the United States because of the deregulation and implementation of advanced technology, and weakening of labor and trade barriers.
Devinatz utilizes historical data in examining how the U.S trade unions have discussed employment relations form early 1930s. For instance, Devinatz (2011) argues, “The Social Security Act (1935) resulted in many changes in labor laws in United States” (p. 19). Labor laws continued to undergo many changes through distinct laws introduced and enacted by the government with collaboration with trade unions.
These legislations aimed at improving the working condition as well as improving living standards of the workers through better wages and job security. As Devinatz (2011) reckons, “the Employment Act of 1946, which based on ‘Keynesian fiscal policy’, aided in increasing the federal minimum wage which improved living standards of the workers” (p. 20).
Various bodies such as ‘American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) were established in order to reverse the declining density of private sector trade unions. These bodies received overwhelming support in their quest to revive the private sector.
The findings of this research postulate that the voluntarism philosophy where employees depend on trade unions to achieve work gains that will make their living standards better using collective bargaining and other economic struggle methods such as boycotts and strikes is declining in the United States.
Both public and private workers unions utilize extensive political involvement to air their views and achieve their objectives. In the subsequent years, trade unions in United States were able to defend their conquests such as, “maintaining a work day of eight hours, preventing wages reductions on various federal contracts, reducing work discrimination, and fastening legislation of occupational safety (Devinatz 2011, p.21).
Trade unions were also involved in other activities such as obtaining unpaid wages and salaries through the use of the legal system, exposing unfair work treatment and harsh conditions, lobbying for enacting of new legislations or amending of existing laws aimed at improving working conditions, organizing employees to struggle for their rights.
Contribution of the Three Articles
The three articles used in the paper significantly contribute to the understanding of the trade unions. They further expound on the duties of trade unions. Trade unions play vital roles in the improvement of employment relations all over the world. The articles help us to understand objectives of trade unions in a better way. Trade unions established play a significant role of fighting for workers rights and they use different methods to achieve this.
The most indispensable tool used by trade unions in achieving their objectives is collective bargaining where they bargain with employers on behalf of all workers. Strikes and boycotts employed serve to achieve the unions’ objectives thus improving working condition of the employees and achieving better wages. In addition, the articles give us insight on the challenges faced by the trade unions in their conquest to fulfill their objectives.
The legislations enacted by governments all over the world have contributed to the witnessed profound changes in the employment field mainly contributed by. The increase in part-time jobs has also posed a great challenge to trade union as they advocate for improved employment relations. Gender changes yet form another challenge where women demand equal chances with men. The articles provide detailed and crucial recommendations that trade unions can utilize to overcome the challenges they are facing.
Dawson and Michael (2009) recommend that, “trade unions should employ strategic actions such as aligning new agendas for internal changes, which are capable of offsetting traditional custom inertia in adopting flexible and agile perspective” (p. 38). For trade unions to develop new policies, which union members can easily identify with and use them to educate younger employees on the history and importance of trade unions, as well as benefits of collective representation. This recommendation will aid in renewing the unionism all over the world.
Conclusion
It is imperative to have improved employment relations in a country to improve welfare of all workers. Better working conditions reduce fatigue and stresses experienced by the employees. In addition, the rate to employees’ turnover will increase if the employees adopt better employment relations.
The Trade unions play critical roles in ensuring excellent working conditions for all employees working in different industries. With appropriate legislation enactements, trade unions are conferred with the ability to achieve their objectives by incorporating the strategies of collective bargaining where they bargain with employers on behalf of all workers. As a repercussion, the employee’s disputes with the employers, redundancy issues and resolution of unfair dismissal issues receive a solid platform for their address.
On the other hand, the paper suggests that trade unions deserve to develop new policies, which union members can easily identify with and use them to educate younger employees on the history and importance of trade unions, as well as benefits of collective representation.
References
Clarke, S., & Ashwin, S., 2002. Russian Trade Unions and Industrial Relations in Transition. New York: Palgrave.
Coopers, R., Ellem, B., Briggs, C., & Broek, V., 2009. Anti-Unonnism, Employer Strategy and the Australian State, 1996-2005. Labor Studies Journal, 34(3), pp. 339-361.
Dawson, P., & Michael, Z., 2009. Cultural Issues in Organizational Change: The Case of the Australian Services Union. Employment Relations Record, 9 (1), pp. 19-41.
Devinatz, G., 2011. U.S. Trade Unionism under Globalization: The Death of Voluntarism and the Trend to Politics? Labor Law Journal, 62 (1), pp.16-29.
Martin, R., & Cristescu, A., 2000. Industrial Relations in Central and Eastern Europe in 199: Patterns of Protest. Industrial Relations Journal, 31 (4), pp. 345-362.