Question

Why is each of the following good legal advice?

a.         Employers must not create or control “company unions.”

b.         Employers should not respond to union organizing efforts by raising wages or making other unscheduled changes in employment benefits.

c.         Employers must abide by the terms of labor agreements when making human resource decisions regarding their unionized employees.

d.         Employers should not establish informal practices of conferring benefits and privileges not specified in labor agreements.

e.         If individual employees wish to present their own grievances, their union must be notified and given the opportunity to be present at any meetings about the grievances.

Answer 1

1. Employers must not create or control “company unions.”

The role of “company unions” in any company is to take up all the grievances and issues and represent it before the concerned authority. They act as a bridge between the employees and the authority. The role of the union is to work and function according to the principle and method. Hence, the employees should not intervene in the working and function of the union or create any type of control the working of the union.

2. Employers should not respond to union organizing efforts by raising wages or making other unscheduled changes in employment benefits.

The role of the union is to help the employees get the best output of their work and effort. In case if the union tries to gain interest through any illegal or undignified way, it is the responsibility of the employee to not to participate in such ills.

3. Employers must abide by the terms of labor agreements when making human resource decisions regarding their unionized employees.

The actions of the employees related to any steps taken about the agreements should legally abide the laws of the union. Any decision taken solely by the employee in absence of the whole union becomes a matter of dispute in the union.

4. Employers should not establish informal practices of conferring benefits and privileges not specified in labor agreements.

The labor agreements are structured in a way as to provide maximum reliefs to the employees. At the same time, an employee should also not try to perform things which are harmful and illegal to both the company and the union. To construct or to act on for any subjects, the process of the union should be followed up on. Random actions related to such issues should always be avoided.

5. If individual employees wish to present their own grievances, their union must be notified and given the opportunity to be present at any meetings about the grievances.

A union is the representation of the employees and thus it is the sole responsibility of the union to look upon the issues of the employees and the union. Employees should present their issues to the union and the union is then liable to it to present it before the concerned authority.