Trade Unions and Workplace and Employee Relations in the 21st Century - Coursework Example

Trade Unions and Workplace and Employee Relations in the 21st Century Student’s Name Subject Professor University/Institution Location Date Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 1.0.Introduction 2 2.0.The Trade Union Phenomenon 4 2.1 The role of Trade unions 4 3.0 The Changing Role of Trade Unions 5 3.1 Organizational changes and reforms 5 3.1.1 Workplace conflicts 7 3.1.2 Workers representation and voice 7 3.1.3 Wages and Remuneration 8 3.2 Labour Market Fragmentation 8 4.0 Union acknowledgment and Membership 9 5.0 Legislations 9 6.0 Conclusion 12 References 14 1.0. Introduction Work relation has been referred to as a structure of work concerned with maintaining a relationship between the employer and the employee, in order to contribute and maintain adequate productivity, stimulus and moral (Gennard & Judge 2005). Basically, employee relations are intended to avert and resolve issues of people that arise from, and have an effect on work situations. On the other hand, workplace has been generally viewed as a place where most individuals spend a better proportion of their day, and have their views and opinions influenced. By and large, a workplace is a crucible of workers lives, whereby various dimensions of diversity in regard to age, language, gender, sexuality and ethnicity are experienced. People face challenges, experience problems, adapt and learn new tolerance, respecting others, and skills (Bach 2002). In United Kingdom, trends such as increasingly advancing information technology, modern and rapidly changing organizations, globalization and outsourcing of the 21st century are significantly changing the employment experiences and loosening the ties between the worker and the employer. Considering that the 21st century work environment is more competitive and turbulent than earlier times, management, workforce, production and the inventory systems are necessitated to demonstrate a high level of flexibility. Over the years, various factors have been attributed industrial linked conflicts. Conflicts involving management and employees are a situation that occurs regularly. This clearly shows the role of trade unions to aid in balancing this situation was significant (Gennard & Judge 2005). Considering the modernized, uncertainty characterized global market, crowded, rapidly changing and inevitable 21st century business environment the UK (Gennard & Judge 2005), the relevance of trade unions in UK is likely to die away in the 21st century. Thus, this paper disagrees with the view that the role of the trade union remains relevant both at the workplace and for wider employment relations issues in the 21st century remain relevant, within United Kingdom. The paper begins by clearing stating the trade union phenomenon, followed by the role of trade union, then the changing role of trade unions, Union acknowledgment and Membership, social partnerships and Legislations. All these subtopic are discussed in relation to the diminished relevance of trade unions in the UK. 2.0. The Trade Union Phenomenon Trade union can be defined as a legal body constituting of employees or staff who have a common interest. These may include a particular industry`s workers, or an assembly of employees for a specific employer. Gennard and Judge, 2005 expresses the same opinion by referring trade unions as an organization of employees aligned together to demand a common objective such as trade integrity protection, pay hike, increase of employee, and negotiation for enhanced working conditions. Trade unions may also comprise of past workers, students, professionals, apprentices, and the unemployed. Trade unions originated from the United Kingdom, and become accepted in other countries at the time of the industrial revolution. The popularity of trade unions in UK increased at the time due to the inadequacy of necessary skills needed to perform various jobs, causing the shifting of bargaining power of employment. The shifting mainly leaned towards employers resulting to workers mistreatment and underpayment. Usually, these unions enclose a constitution that contains the details of governance of the union’s bargaining unit (Gennard & Judge 2005). 2.1 The role of Trade unions With the above understanding, it is vital to understand the general role. In the UK, trade unions aims at collectively negotiating with the employer on behalf of employees, in adhering to set labour standards concerning issues such as wages, compensations, employment structures, incentives, allowances, working hours, and bonuses, among other terms and conditions in regard to employment. Additionally, trade union as organizations advocate for their members favorable legislation and social policies. As well, trade unions channel a great deal of their effort in influencing administrative and political course in the national level and international level on behalf of members. Simply put, trade unions aims at maintain or improving their members employment conditions. Essentially, for all intents and purposes, the agreements negotiated by the union are binding to both members and employers, and in some case affects the non-members. 3.0 The Changing Role of Trade Unions In view of prevailing competitiveness of the current business environment in UK, it means much attention ought to be given employee relations. Numerous researches have indicated the fact that mishandling of the same is ruinous to any business. The changing role of trade union is evident through changes in organizational set up as discussed in following subtopics. 3.1 Organizational changes and reforms Firstly, the diminishing relevance of the role of trade union is evident through organizational and business structures of the 21st century. The modern business organizations are ever changing due to various factors such as modernized policies, restructured global market as well as more varied and elastic employment arrangement within the UK market. Inevitably, all these factors have significant implication for any organization, and the entire human resource management (Hough & Oswald 2000). What is new today may go archaic or obsolete in a short period with ever changing needs, and potential never thought of years back, is fully integrated now (Stenseng 2012). In this regard; both the workplace and employees relations are radically changed. From this perspective, the major role played by trade union has shifted with this change rendering them irrelevant and inappropriate for this era in the UK. Likewise, modern and rapidly changing organizations and jobs are flexible , competitive, less hierarchical or more broken organizational structure chains, dynamic, multidimensional, technological, social, worldwide changes and political influenced (Schilling & Werr 2009; Carrasco 2009). Thus, a modern organization is an extra organic structure as it constitues involvement of employees, authority distribution as per skills and abilities. These organizations are also characterized with fewer boundaries and rules. On the other hand, trade unions in the UK, trade unions are largely based on the flexible, and steady working environment of traditional organizations of the past centuries, rendering their role inappropriate for 21st century (Aminuddin 2008). Modern jobs and workplaces are designed to ensure dynamics in communication networks. This merges and interconnect organizational and individual solutions. Moreover, modern organizations and jobs involve immense collaboration through the theory of boundaryless organization (Schatten & Zugaj 2011). From this viewpoint, the main role of representation and participation through trade unions may not be necessary. This implies that trade unions` role is likely to be irrelevant as modern organizations and job structures, directly enhance employees relations. 3.1.1 Workplace conflicts Secondly, methods of handling conflicts have changed in this era. Aminuddin, 2008 posits that 21st century businesses are characterized by management autonomy and greater skills in disputes resolutions. This has denied trade unions an opportunity to exhibit their constructive expertise in corrective proceedings. Recent research has proven that business organizations are inclining more into conciliatory approach rather that antagonistic ones when negotiating with employees (Ebbinghaus 2002). As such, unions are likely to have a few chances for workplace dispute resolution compared to earlier times. Additionally, organizations recognize that, emergency of mobile technology has potentially made workplaces grievances less difficult. As a consequence, the relevance of trade union role in these organizations drastically diminished. 3.1.2 Workers representation and voice Thirdly, diminishing relevance of the role of trade unions is evident through the emergence of employer supported employee participation and representation in UK organizations. In fact, researchers affirm that, in the 21st century, workplaces that rely on non-union employee voice mechanisms have proportionally increased. Ebbinghaus, 2002 also observes that workplaces` desire for representation and involvement has not declined; however, it has moved from reliance on trade unions. In turn, decrease in unionized workplaces has shaped employers preferences. The tendency of workplaces use of non-union mechanism, essentially proves not only union voice add value to employees. In other word, non-union mechanisms are equally effective in representing employees’ interests and provide the same benefits available in the union. 3.1.3 Wages and Remuneration Fourthly, wages, social provisions and remunerations are some of the basic factors that initially attracted workers to unions in the UK. Unions happen to set wages such that a substantial premium wage is attached to members in the union, for both private and public sectors. On the other hand, the prevalent occupational licensing and regulation see unions appeal to employees on professional identity basis in this era. Moreover in the UK, occupational licensing demands the licensing of workers by a professional body or the government, to be allowed to perform some or whole of their work. With occupational licensing acting as labour market institution, trade unions role in influencing wages through new and comprehensive strategies is not applied (Ebbinghaus 2002). 3.2 Labour Market Fragmentation Fifthly, the diminishing relevance of trade union role is evident through the experience of the labour market. The move towards enterprise bargaining, trends in outsourcing less core activities, and individual contracts and weakened power of the unions resulted to high labour market fragmentation. In the 21st century, atypical and indirect types of employments like the self employment are a picture of fragmentation. As a consequence, workers representation and creating of effectual labour standards for areas largely involved in atypical or indirect employment poses challenges to unions. This has called for governmental intervention, diminishing the relevance of trade unions in those areas (Ebbinghaus 2002). 4.0 Union acknowledgment and Membership Moreover, the shrinking membership of unions in the UK is due to their declined relevance (Aminuddin 2008). The business environment of the 21st century comprises secular changes such as employment in part time basis, atypical, individualism and development of private services. As a consequence, organizations have been disconnected from unions. Again, globalization has resulted to direct investments, increased trade and capital openness leading from exclusion unions. From this perspective, union recognition has sharply fallen in recent years. The difficulties of recognition are also attributed to size of the workplaces. Smaller workplaces with less than 20 workers do not constitute to the required number of employees to support and recognize a union. As a result, unions’ relevance to employee relations and workplaces under these constraints is not definite. By and large, dramatic decline in proportion of union members was experienced by the beginning of the first decade of 21st century and more of it in the following two decades (Aminuddin 2008). In point of fact, exposure of industries and organizations to the multifaceted market pressures, growth and development of atypical market and outsourcing trend, implementing of employers supported structures of involvement and representation, have lessened membership in trade unions. 5.0 Legislations Furthermore, as Brown et al, 2000 observes, the burden of legal control on the ability of union to organize, collectively bargain, recruit as well as seizing industrial action has dramatically contributed to the declined membership in trade unions. Regardless of laws and strategies encouraging the recognition of trade unions by employers, the descending membership trend is increasingly noticeable. The unions` response to these challenges from the shifting employment relations and nature of work has diminished their relevance in function for the workplace and employment relations (Bach 2002). In addition, the relevance of the roles of trade unions has largely declined with the establishment of new laws on employees’ relations and workplace regulations and legislation. The influence of legislation on human resource and personnel management cannot be understated. Governmental powers to influence the rules and systems governing workplace relations of employees and employers are increasingly evident. For instance, in United Kingdom almost every area of personal professional`s everyday work has been directly or indirectly affected by the EU legislation on employment (Gennard & Judge 2005). From the above perspective, the HRM and personnel laws established at the EU level take primacy over the members’ states domestic laws. The legislation on employment is applicable in organizations to enhance workplace and employee relations. In addition, both parties of the industry; employees and employers are given confidence to participate in the process of law making through organizational representations at the EU level. By directly negotiating, the communal agreement is then changed into EU Directives that are legally binding. On the other hand, Gennard and Judge, 2005 argues trade unions at domestic level of course enact and implement domestically approved social or employment laws, as long as their legislation does not undercut the stipulations embedded by the EU law. Essentially, HRM and staff specialists in an organization are aware and provide consideration as regards the EU dimensions` on employee relations, hence no need for trade union representation. Indeed, a wide thought concerning the consequences of unification into a single currency of the prove irrelevance of trade union in the future. For instance, embracing the euro has brought in heated debate regarding the political and economic advantages, but not considering it impact on employee relations (Gennard & Judge 2005). Transparency in currency is argued to be a certain cause for easier comparison and evaluation of productivity and assessment of costs of labour within member states. In point of fact, this may basically increase pressure for social and employment standards harmonization. What is more, the agreement to expand EU 15 to EU 25 member states established will ensure a more leveled operational field in the arena of social and employment environment. Consequently, this setting of employee relations and workplace governing laws from a higher level, results to less interest for participation of trade unions (Gennard & Judge 2005).. Legislation has been set to improve work standards and curtail the activities of rascal employers. Initially, this was the role of trade unions. However, emergence of legislation and laws in this era to govern processes means a reduced need for trade unions. Brown, 2000 et al claims that this century is characterized by increased population and demands, this in turn renders strained resources, potential lawsuit cost, and the fact that it is practically difficult to mobilize workers collectively using individual rights have rendered a limited capacity for trade unions to develop a pathway for revitalization by developing effectual legal tactics (Brown et al 2000; Gennard & Judge 2005). 6.0 Conclusion Conclusively, as established above, the role of trade unions in UK will not remain relevant in the 21st century. In UK, both workplace and employee relations have dramatically changed in the 21st century. The rapidly changing business environment through modernized policies, restructured global market as well as more varied, and elastic employment arrangement, have inserted pressure on working conditions causing them to change. These changes have in turn diminished the role of trade unions in hugely impacting employee relation and workplaces. In the recent years, the membership of trade unions, recognition and fragmentation of labour market have seen the declining membership of trade unions. Moreover, the institutions of social partnership and employers as the opponents are as well changing with the changing times resulting to negative consequences on trade unions role. Indeed, the unions` bargaining and realm of social policy are considerably affected. Moreover, more legislation have been set to improve work standards and curtail the activities of rascal employers, a role that initial executed by trade unions. The set legislation are applicable in organizations to enhance workplace and employee relations. The contemporary organizations and jobs constant networking and collaboration through theory of boundaryless organization ensures healthy workplaces and employee relations. This implies trade unions role is not likely to be relevant any more considering the contemporary structure of organizations and job directly enhances employee relations. In this regard; what is new today could be archaic or obsolete in a few months with ever changing needs, and potential never thought of years back, is fully integrated now, and even more easily. As established above, the role of trade union in the 21st century is gradually diminishing. And as the world-economy is changing and more and more methods of employee representation and participation arise, the role of trade union in the workplace and employee relation will no longer be relevant. 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