Question

However, be sure to also include learning from Human Resource Management as well as personal experience with the topic, as applicable. One good example for a current topic could be how a union works in the current workplace. The paper should include your opinion on the accuracy of the article as well as any insight or added information you feel would be beneficial.

Answer 1

How a union works in a current workplace.

Unions are examples of collective strength over the power of one. They have existed ever since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. Ever since, it became necessary for a large number of people to work on specific work schedules in limited periods of time. Owing to the pressures of such a workplace, there is a constant tussle between the management and the workers in relation to wages, benefits, working atmosphere and other terms and conditions.

If dissatisfied on some count, an individual worker seeks the support of a union who then speaks on his behalf. Quite often, unions take on issues that affect the majority of employees and try to negotiate with the management to arrive at mutually acceptable alternatives to existing conditions.

Unions wield quite a lot of power over managements. They can act as a deterrent in managements taking ill-considered decisions. They can disrupt if they choose (which they often do) But there have been instances of unions supporting managements and organizations profiting by their cohesive engagements.

Department of Labor’s statistics about unions published in 2017 throws up some facts:

There are more unions in public sector than in private sector

There are more unions in service industries than in manufacturing sectors

There are more men who are union members than women

There are more people of color in unions

Union members have shown more earnings compared to nonunion members

Unions continue to be relevant as long as there is discrimination. It is a well acknowledged fact that discrimination does exist. Gender inequalities in compensation is a reality, so is inequalities due to one’s color. Where it comes to productivity, it is less tangible in the service industry compared to manufacturing sector. For this reason among others, unions can speak up for workers. What’s also true is that there are lobbyists colluding with law makers to pass laws that are more on the side of the managements and the government than on the side of the workers. These laws restrict trade unions. If the country is to be called a democracy and continue to exist as one, it is absolutely essential to listen to dissent in any form, even if it is from unions.

However, Human Resource Managers have a huge role to play in taking proactive efforts to mitigate disruptive tendencies of unions. Unions can coerce people to fall in line. Dissent within unions is not appreciated. HR managers can benefit by being alert to such dissents. They can support dissenters thereby reducing damages. Unions may discourage initiatives by individuals. Here too, HR managers’ alertness can encourage initiative of some employees who are more motivated and creative. Unions may bat for seniority in terms of, length of service in a company against promising talent. This again is a challenge for the HR.

With the advent of AI workforce dynamics are changing very fast. HR managers will have to accommodate new trends in unionizing because of worker roles being changed or truncated.

There might be wisdom in joining force with unions rather than wishing them away.