Overcoming Conflict in Work Place
Introduction:
An employee strike is a process whereby a company 's work force engages in work stoppage in an effort to elicit changes from its employer in such areas as wages, benefits, job security, and management practices. Strikes are a direct result of conflict between employer and workers (usually labor unions). Strikes are referred to as formal Industrial conflict and results when a group of employees voluntarily joins a labor union or other formal organization, and this group determines it must strike to achieve a desired effect (i.e. better wages or a safer work environment), overall employee & company performance suffers as a result. Striking workers also enjoy certain legal protection, such as the right to return to work.
Union strikes are usually associated with large companies, but they can be implemented against smaller employers as well. Given the enormous financial stakes of such actions, small business owners need to be prepared in the event that an employee strike is called against them.
There are two kinds of union strikes, economic strikes and unfair labor practices strikes. The former is a strike that is undertaken by workers in order to get improvement in wages, benefits, hours, or working conditions. An unfair labor practices strike is an action that has far more serious legal implications for small business owners. This kind of strike occurs in instances where the employer allegedly violates rules that protect workers during collective bargaining. "Typical violations that prompt unfair labor strike include refusing to pay benefits when they 're due, discharging an employee for engaging in union activities, and refusing to bargain in good faith," reported J.D. Thorne in Small Business Reports.
Thorne contended that "the most important aspect of managing an economic strike (the most common type) is to prevent it from becoming an unfair labor practices strike." Thorne noted that employer actions that could trigger this transformation
An employee strike is a process whereby a company 's work force engages in work stoppage in an effort to elicit changes from its employer in such areas as wages, benefits, job security, and management practices. Strikes are a direct result of conflict between employer and workers (usually labor unions). Strikes are referred to as formal Industrial conflict and results when a group of employees voluntarily joins a labor union or other formal organization, and this group determines it must strike to achieve a desired effect (i.e. better wages or a safer work environment), overall employee & company performance suffers as a result. Striking workers also enjoy certain legal protection, such as the right to return to work.
Union strikes are usually associated with large companies, but they can be implemented against smaller employers as well. Given the enormous financial stakes of such actions, small business owners need to be prepared in the event that an employee strike is called against them.
There are two kinds of union strikes, economic strikes and unfair labor practices strikes. The former is a strike that is undertaken by workers in order to get improvement in wages, benefits, hours, or working conditions. An unfair labor practices strike is an action that has far more serious legal implications for small business owners. This kind of strike occurs in instances where the employer allegedly violates rules that protect workers during collective bargaining. "Typical violations that prompt unfair labor strike include refusing to pay benefits when they 're due, discharging an employee for engaging in union activities, and refusing to bargain in good faith," reported J.D. Thorne in Small Business Reports.
Thorne contended that "the most important aspect of managing an economic strike (the most common type) is to prevent it from becoming an unfair labor practices strike." Thorne noted that employer actions that could trigger this transformation
References: Bellafiore, Donna. (2007): “Interpersonal Conflict and Effective Communication.” DRB Alternatives, Inc Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, (2009): Wildcat strikes in the energy and natural resources sector Honeyman, Christopher, and Nita Yawanarajah (2007) “Mediation."