Union-Management Cooperation: The Key to Workplace Harmony and Economic Prosperity

The concept of work reform has intrigued social scientists for centuries. The emergence of capitalism and the industrial revolution has created a sociological dichotomy pitting workers against managers in a battle of fiscal self interest and human rights. The ancillary economic benefits of worker satisfaction and participation can be seen in Asian and European markets. Adoption and adaption of these foreign labour policies as well as new forms of management which utilize post-bureaucratic policies will achieve greater employee-employer relationships. Though managers and corporations have struggled with unions in the past, emerging theories surrounding union-management relations create better working atmospheres that yield mutually beneficial results. Management and organized labour unions ought to collaborate to reform work so employees are more satisfied which will in turn allow managers to maximize efficiency.
In past century, work reform has become synonymous with unionization. Forged in the throes of industrial revolution, trade unions have become paramount in ensuring workers rights in a capitalist society. However, public perception of industrial relations have become convoluted, and leave many wondering if unions have a significant impact on work reforms at all. Some economists view unions as monopolies in the labour market that simply aim to increase its member’s wages at the cost of efficiency and productivity of firms, therefore straining the economy (Freeman & James, 1984). Some analysts suggest that union negotiated wages increase unemployment in the organised sector thus forcing displaced workers into the non-organized labour pool. Other social critics view unions as “unresponsive, elitist, non-democratic, and crime-riddle institutions” (Freeman & James, 1984). However, many industrial relations experts maintain that collective bargaining can increase quality of working life while maintaining steady productivity (Freeman & James, 1984). These

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