Question

The major features of the management-union relations in the USA are found among the elements
inserted below:
1. the negotiations take place at the company level;
2. the negotiations take place at two levels - company and branch;
3. the negotiations take place at three levels - company, branch and national;
4. the negotiations have a constructive character;
5. the negotiations have an adversarial character;
6. the power of trade unions tends to remain constant;
7. the power of trade unions tends to increase;
8. The power of trade unions tends to diminish.
Which of the following combinations correctly and completely represents the main characteristics of the
relations between management and trade unions in the USA:
a. 1-4-6;
b. 2-5-8;
c. 1-4-7;
d. 1-5-8;
e. 2-4-6.

Answer 1

According to my opinion, options ‘b’ and‘d’, correctly and completely represents the main characteristics of the relations between management and trade unions in the USA.

Following are included in each option;

b. 2-5-8 i.e.

    2. The negotiations take place at two levels - company and branch;

    5. The negotiations have an adversarial character;

    8. The power of trade unions tends to diminish.

d. 1-5-8

    1. the negotiations take place at the company level;

     5. The negotiations have an adversarial character;

    8. The power of trade unions tends to diminish.

I chose this combination because, negotiations would definitely take place at the company level, particularly if there is no branch and if there is a branch also the negotiations between the management and the unions would be happening at the branch level but with the presence of certain officials from the company level. This is because, at times it won’t be possible to talk and decide about the problems at the branch in the corporate office, if the branch itself is a big unit and the company having various units which are big and small.

Now coming to the adversarial character of the negotiation, it has an adversarial character and not a constructive character. In negotiation between the management and union they take the pressure tactics because that really works. Strikes are one such thing. They will stop working unless the management responds to their problems and answer their claims. This is why we can say without any doubt that it holds an adversarial character and not a constructive character, as in this both the sides are considered in such a manner that we should take care of not losing anything.

When seeing the last point about the trade unions power, it can be seen that in the recent times, atleast in many of the working areas and position, when looking around the globe, we can say that the power of trade unions tends to diminish. For the time being they only exist in small cities and towns or mostly villages and are out of trends in big cities.

People today tend to react for them or collectively people around the globe talk for a person through the social media. This will put pressure on the authority to take an action or react on the same as it would eventually affect the company’s credibility. Due to all these the unions today have diminished or have reduced power when compare to the yester years.