Industrial Relations
Definition: Describes relationship between management and workers in
firm.
Why is a good relationship between management and workers so important?
1. Discuss and solve problems quickly and in a friendly manner.
2. Managers can outline problems at any time with workers co-operation and help.
3. Co-operation between workers and management.
4. Increase in productivity leads to more profits and wages.
firm.
Why is a good relationship between management and workers so important?
1. Discuss and solve problems quickly and in a friendly manner.
2. Managers can outline problems at any time with workers co-operation and help.
3. Co-operation between workers and management.
4. Increase in productivity leads to more profits and wages.
What happens if there is a poor relationship?
1. Suspicion and lack of co-operation.
2. Decrease in production rate.
3. Industrial action which may lead to the closure of firm.
4. Poor public image, loss of customers.
Trade Unions
Definition:
Organisation of workers to set up to protect and improve their conditions of employment.
Functions:
1. Protect jobs.
2. Improve working conditions.
3. Secure pay increases.
4. Represent workers in an industrial dispute.
Types of Trade Union:
1. Craft Trade Unions – represent people of the same trade.
2. Industrial Trade Unions – represent all employees in a particular
industry.
3. General Trade Unions – represent all categories in all
industries.
4. White-collar Trade Unions – represent those who work in office
jobs or services industries.
Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) ·
Representative body for most Irish trade unions.
2008: 55 unions, membership of 833,486 – 602,035 from the
Republic and 231,451 from the North.
What is the role of the ICTU?
1. Negotiate national wage agreements with government and employers
on behalf of trade unions.
2. Help resolve disputes between unions and employers.
3. Help resolve inter-union arguments.
1. Suspicion and lack of co-operation.
2. Decrease in production rate.
3. Industrial action which may lead to the closure of firm.
4. Poor public image, loss of customers.
Trade Unions
Definition:
Organisation of workers to set up to protect and improve their conditions of employment.
Functions:
1. Protect jobs.
2. Improve working conditions.
3. Secure pay increases.
4. Represent workers in an industrial dispute.
Types of Trade Union:
1. Craft Trade Unions – represent people of the same trade.
2. Industrial Trade Unions – represent all employees in a particular
industry.
3. General Trade Unions – represent all categories in all
industries.
4. White-collar Trade Unions – represent those who work in office
jobs or services industries.
Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) ·
Representative body for most Irish trade unions.
2008: 55 unions, membership of 833,486 – 602,035 from the
Republic and 231,451 from the North.
What is the role of the ICTU?
1. Negotiate national wage agreements with government and employers
on behalf of trade unions.
2. Help resolve disputes between unions and employers.
3. Help resolve inter-union arguments.
Shop Steward
Definition: Worker elected by other workers to represent trade union in work place.
Functions:
1. Recruit new members to union.
2. Organise collections of union dues.
3. Represent workers in talks with management.
4. Ensure all agreements between management and unions are honoured.
What is the Irish Business and Employers Confederation (IBEC)?
Definition: Representative body that promotes interests of Irish businesses and employers.
What is the role of IBEC?
1. Negotiate wage agreements with the government and trade unions on behalf of employers.
2. Give employers advice concerning their rights
and obligations in disputes.
3. Represent employers on Labour Court
Committees.
What is the role of IBEC?
1. Negotiate wage agreements with the government and trade unions on behalf of employers.
2. Give employers advice concerning their rights
and obligations in disputes.
3. Represent employers on Labour Court
Committees.
What are the common causes of Industrial Disputes?
1. Disputes about wages and employment conditions.
2. Demarcation disputes. – Disagreement about tasks to
be performed.
3. Redundancies.
4. Dismissal of workers.
5. Promotional procedures. – Disagreement about
‘favouritism’ between employees and employer.
How are disputes solved?
1. Discuss problems with supervisors.
2. Shop steward discusses problem with HR manager.
3. Trade union official discusses with management.
4. Third party provides a conciliation service.
5. Both sides agree to appoint an arbitrator from the Labour Court.
6. Industrial action.
Forms of Industrial Action
Official Strike.
o Union members hold secret ballot.
o Union gives company strike notice.
o Members may receive strike pay.
All-out Strike.
o Official strike supported by other trade unions and approved by ICTU.
Unofficial Strike.
o Strike without the approval of trade union.
o No pay received.
Wild-cat/lightning Strike.
o Similar to unofficial strike, no notice given.
Work to rule.
o Workers remain in work.
o Only carry out essential elements of employment.
o Slows down production.
o Causes great inconvenience.
2. Demarcation disputes. – Disagreement about tasks to
be performed.
3. Redundancies.
4. Dismissal of workers.
5. Promotional procedures. – Disagreement about
‘favouritism’ between employees and employer.
How are disputes solved?
1. Discuss problems with supervisors.
2. Shop steward discusses problem with HR manager.
3. Trade union official discusses with management.
4. Third party provides a conciliation service.
5. Both sides agree to appoint an arbitrator from the Labour Court.
6. Industrial action.
Forms of Industrial Action
Official Strike.
o Union members hold secret ballot.
o Union gives company strike notice.
o Members may receive strike pay.
All-out Strike.
o Official strike supported by other trade unions and approved by ICTU.
Unofficial Strike.
o Strike without the approval of trade union.
o No pay received.
Wild-cat/lightning Strike.
o Similar to unofficial strike, no notice given.
Work to rule.
o Workers remain in work.
o Only carry out essential elements of employment.
o Slows down production.
o Causes great inconvenience.
Institutions involved in industrial relations
o Set up in 1990 under the Industrial Relations Act 1990.
o Why? To improve industrial relations, help settle disputes.
o Provides conciliation service.
· Equality Officers
o Appointed by LRC.
o Provides conciliation service for equality matters.
· Rights Commissioners
o Appointed by LRC.
o Provides quick informal resolution to disputes between individuals or small groups of
employees/employers.
Conciliation:
Independent person works with parties during disputes helping them reach an agreement.
Arbitration:
Process of resolving disputes by letting a third party make the judgement and accepting it.
Independent person works with parties during disputes helping them reach an agreement.
Arbitration:
Process of resolving disputes by letting a third party make the judgement and accepting it.
What is the Labour Court?
· A body set up to attempt to solve disputes that weren’t solved by the LRC.
· Labour Court is a last resort.
· It goes by arbitration.
What is the Employment Appeals Tribunal?
· Independent body
· Deals with disputes – employees think employment rights have been ignored in certain areas:
o Redundancies, unfair dismissal, maternity leave etc.
· Labour Court is a last resort.
· It goes by arbitration.
What is the Employment Appeals Tribunal?
· Independent body
· Deals with disputes – employees think employment rights have been ignored in certain areas:
o Redundancies, unfair dismissal, maternity leave etc.
1. Which act established the Labour Relations Commission?
2. Who appoints Rights Commissioners?
3. Is a dispute over the number of hours an employee is being asked to work, an example of a trade dispute?
4. If employees have followed the correct procedure to go on strike, can they be sued?
5. Can anyone set up a trade union?
6. Does a ballot have to be secret?
7. Can a trade union, who has got approval for industrial action, call a strike immediately?
8. Can an employer stop an official strike other than by coming to some form of agreement?
9. What is it called when two parties in a dispute are brought together and suggestions made on how to settle the dispute?
10. Which body should be the first port of call to settle an industrial dispute?
2. Who appoints Rights Commissioners?
3. Is a dispute over the number of hours an employee is being asked to work, an example of a trade dispute?
4. If employees have followed the correct procedure to go on strike, can they be sued?
5. Can anyone set up a trade union?
6. Does a ballot have to be secret?
7. Can a trade union, who has got approval for industrial action, call a strike immediately?
8. Can an employer stop an official strike other than by coming to some form of agreement?
9. What is it called when two parties in a dispute are brought together and suggestions made on how to settle the dispute?
10. Which body should be the first port of call to settle an industrial dispute?