What should be the future of 'diversity-management' Essay

What should be the future of 'diversity-management' - Essay Example The importance of diversity management is an integrative part of modern management. Global tendencies in the world lead to overall balancing of various people. Successful cooperation of people with diverse cultural and religious background, from different societies should be mediated by managers. Unfortunately, there is an efficient gap between theoretical and practical approaches to diverse management. Propagation of human freedom and equality of human rights and processes of democratization is not always followed by managers. There is a lack of professional knowledge about diverse management. Therefore it is relevant to develop theoretical and practical bases of diverse management in the future. â€Å"Culture is the totality of values, beliefs, and behaviors common to a large group of people. A culture may include shared language and folklore, communication styles, and ideas and thinking patterns—the â€Å"truths† accepted by members of the group. Members of a cultur e have similar expectations of life† (Cross, p. 48). People are different and they tend to interpret any behavior through the prism of their own values. Literature review Currently, the influence of diverse management on relations inside the organizations is vividly discussed. Thus, in the article by Dameron and Joffre â€Å"The good and the bad: the impact of diversity management on co-operative relationships† (2007) practical aspect of diversity management is discussed. There is given a dualistic approach to the discussion about cultural diversity at the workplace. There are two kinds of co-operation: â€Å"community based co-operation†, caused by human necessity to belong, and â€Å"complementary co-operation† (Dameron and Joffre, 2007). Strategic development of human resources is created in terms of diverse management. The authors of the articles claim that individual’s development happens in terms of diverse management. It is important to discu ss the influence of diverse management on the development of an individual employee and then on the human resources of the company. Thus, diverse management is a perfect background for interaction of employees in the business world among them and with their employers (Burke and Cooper, 2005). A separation of diversity management from the issue of diversity in the world is a modern tendency. What is the reason for this separation and what is the perspective of further development of this field? Every organization pays a great attention to the development of diversity management and it can be said that every organization follows national tendencies of culture development. In case of future development of diversity management, organizations and companies will benefit from cooperation with foreign partners in the international arena. Currently, there is even a greater progress in the field of diversity management. Diversity management is a motive force of modern businesses. In case an o rganization is successful, it operates in the international arena. Moreover, it is a common tendency in many organizations to hire employees and managers from different nations. From the article considered above, cultural diversity is titled as â€Å"a zone of uncertainty from which one can profit† (Dameron and Joffre). This concept was borrowed from Crozier and Friedberg (1977). These authors considered cultural diversity to be a ‘goal-oriented collective action’ (Crozier and Friedberg, 1977). Thus, Crozier and Friedberg (1977) considered cultural diversity in relation to a certain organization, but currently this concept is considered from a broader perspective. Other authors who discuss diversity management, are Ronald J. Burke and Cary L. Cooper in the book â€Å"Reinventing Human Resources Management: Challenges and New Directions† (2005). These authors underline the importance of a shift of consideration about diversity management from an organizatio nal context to a more global context. Dameron and Joffre underline that diverse management

Final Exam in Principles of Sociology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Final Exam in Principles of Sociology - Essay Example The lungs of the asthma patients shrink considerably, and when they breathe they feel like ‘breathing through a straw’. Stratification makes it difficult for many asthma patients to receive timely health care and many low income class people find it almost impossible to afford effective treatments for the disease. The huge amount of money spent on medical treatment and medical bills make it impossible for them to have other necessities of life such as good hosing and healthy living conditions. All these add to their personal troubles and miseries. An understanding of Mills’ perception of the sociological imagination is important in understanding the macro-level forces that contribute to public issues like asthma. Mills perceives sociological imagination as a way of thinking that believes that human behavior is shaped through social interaction; according to him, one’s personal experiences are always linked to the social contexts such as the prevailing milieu, the connection between history and biography, and the realization that one’s personal troubles are often the results of public issues of social culture. He believes that the sociological imagination would enable one to â€Å"understand the larger historical scene in terms of its meaning from the inner life and the external career of a variety of individuals† (Cargan & Ballantine 30). The social forces that contribute to asthma are the unequal distribution of power and income, the psychological and social constraints that the asthma patients ar e subject to in the American society. While medical practitioners hold that asthma can be prevented through â€Å"right medication, clean air, and a reasonably stress-free life†, many low-income asthma patients feel that this is â€Å"both well-intentioned and useless† (Corbett 59). The low-income asthma patients are very often unable to pay the huge amount of medical bills and these unpaid medical bills cause mental and psychological

Flooding in South Africa Essay Example for Free

Flooding in South Africa Essay Most floods take hours or days to develop, giving residents enough time to prepare or evacuate. Others happen quickly and with little warning. These flash floods can be extremely dangerous and cause major damage to the landscape and the habitants of such an area. Disaster specialists have various ways of classifying floods according to their likelihood of occurring and the intensity of the flood. A hundred-year flood, for example, is an extremely large, destructive event that would theoretically be expected to happen only once every century. Heavy rain in a short period of time in the part of South Africa, caused more than hundreds of people to be homeless by heavy flooding. Floods caused many to seek refuge on rooftops and on trees. This catastrophe killed more than hundreds of people causing the death toll to rise. Recently these floods caused evacuation of the Kruger National, a game reserve in Northern South Africa. Floods also covered some farmlands and crops were killed as a result forcing farms to close. Most of the roads, dams and large buildings were damaged. Due to flooding some mines were forced to close, this the case of a coal mines in Limpopo. Floods frequently causes major infrastructure damage of roads, railway lines, electricity supply systems, water supply and sewage disposal systems. Bribges over rivers are particularly exposed to damage and disruption of transportation systems follows. The economic effects of flooding are often greater than the flood itself. (Parker 2000) According to Parker (2000) be cause floods frequently destroy crops and livestock, food shortages are not uncommon in the aftermath. Floods may affect food availability in a number of ways. Food stocks may be damaged if storage areas are flooded. Serious flooding usually disrupts transportation of food deficit areas, particularly in towns, which are cut off from supply sources and have inadequate food stock. Impacts of flooding may hinder the economic growth and development that is the high cost of relief and recovery may adversely impact investment in infrastructure and other development activities in the area and in certain cases may cripple the frail economy of the of the region. Recurrent flooding in a region may discourage long-term investments by the government and private sector alike. Lack of livehoods, combined with migration of skilled labour and inflation may have a negative impact on a region’s economic growth. Loss of resource can lead to high costs of goods and services, delaying its development programmes. (Drep operation international federation of Red Cross and crescent societies). Figure 2 three kid were during floods in Limpopo As discussed under various perspectives, it is clear from the assignment that floods had adverse impact on the socio-economic status of livehoods for people in South Africa more especially the residents of Limpopo. It is also evident that there are varying underlying causes of floods i South Africa. Places near the flood event are the most susceptible to the dangers of the floods. Proximity of these places and poverty were identified as being the main cause of vulnerability of people

The History Of Domestic Violence Social Work Essay

The History Of Domestic Violence Social Work Essay Domestic Violence is a widespread problem both internationally and nationally (Tjaden and Tjaden, 2000; WHO, 2000; 2002). In the United Kingdom alone it has been reported that one in four women have experienced domestic abuse, at some point in their lives (BMA 1998; Bacchus et al. 2002 and BCS 2006). These statistics found do not represent the true context of the problem encountered by many professionals who may be in contact with these individuals and families. It has been widely reported that with this being a sensitive topic and the nature of the subject, it has been under reported and therefore not truly representative of how serious the problem is (REF). To define what domestic violence is it may be helpful to understand what kind of behaviours it may entail. The Home Offices definition of domestic violence is; Any incident of threatening behaviour, violence or abuse (psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional) between adults who are or have been intimate partners or family members, regardless of gender or sexuality. The issue of domestic violence has no boundaries in regards to gender, age, sexuality, ethnicity, disability or socio economic status. Having said this, it has to be acknowledged that indeed some research does suggest equal prevalence of both male and female perpetrated violence (Straus et al. 1980; Mirrless-Black, 1999 and Morse, 1995). Research has suggested this has failed to account for other kinds of abuse and focused largely on physical assaults. A large error in such studies is in their use of self-completion questionnaires. The use of this tool has been criticised for the heavy emphasis on physical acts that have been taken out of context (Yllo, 1988; Dobash and Dobash, 1992). Thus between acts of self-defence or attack, there is no discrimination nor in the level of impact of the abuse or violence encountered. Mirrlees-Black (1999) however has recognised that the initial findings of her study that showed similar rates for men and women as victims of a violent relationship ma y not mean that men are equally victimised in the same manner as women. After close examination she found that men interpreted and managed their experiences in a different way to women. In fact men were considerably less frightened, much less injured, and least likely to seek professional help. There are cases of domestic abuse present in same sex relationships, or women as the aggressor towards men but historically, numerically and geographically the most occurring pattern is one of men and their violence towards women (Dobash and Dobash, 1992; and Mullender, 1996). Research has also found that for women the impact of domestic abuse is greater emotionally, psychologically as well as physically (Walby and Allen, 2004; Watson and Parsons, 2005; Womens Aid and the Women Abuse Studies Unit, London 2001). In addition it has also found steadily that as many as one in three women will experience domestic violence at some point in their lives (McGibbon et al. 1988; Mooney, 1994; Dominy and Radford, 1996). The presence of children in a household has also shown an association with twice the risk of domestic violence for women (Walby and Allen, 2004). In this sense children cannot help but be affected by their experiences of abuse. Hence, while the focus of study and understanding has mostly been achieved in eliciting women and their views, of shelter workers and of other professionals, it has also pursued a line of investigation directly into childrens experience of contact to domestic violence (Buckley, Whelan and Holt, 2006; Hague and Mullender, 2006; Mullender et al., 2002 and McGee, 2000). A substantial amount of literature in this area exists which concentrates on the effects on children (Hague and Mullender, 2006; Hazen et al. 2006). Edleson (1999) has in fact found more than eighty studies in this area. Childhood is regarded as an important and significant period in anyones lifetime. It is a time that should be guarded. Development and learning during this period should be nurtured and supported in the given environment. If the environment is tainted by fear and violence, the act itself of growing up becomes an arduous task. Osofsky (1995) found that exposure to violence can lead to reverting back to childhood, also known as regressive symptoms such as bedwetting, delayed language development and anxiousness over separation from parents. Other researchers have also found links between domestic violence within a household and children having learning and behavioural problems which can affect their health, emotional and behavioural well-being (Wolfe et al. 1988 and Margolin, 1998). It is important to iterate that no researchers in this area have stated that domestic violence causes these maladaptive behaviours. Often where domestic violence occurs, other social problems have been known to also exist. Devaney (2008) found that domestic violence was present when parental substance and alcohol misuse also existed. As you can see this starts to formulate a slightly less straight-forward area of research where many complexities are involved; though serves to highlight other risk factors which may be helpful to look at. Research in the area has also indicated that there are links between domestic violence and child abuse. Bancroft and Miller (2002) have found that there is a greater chance of a child experiencing physical or sexual abuse whilst living in a household where domestic violence occurs. Indication of how grave the issue is can be seen in a study by Walby (2004) who found that in 40% of child abuse cases there was also co-occurrence of domestic violence. This is further supported by Hester et al. (1998) who suggested that domestic violence is contributory factor in half of all serious case reviews and 75% for those cases placed on the child protection register. This raises domestic violence as a child protection concern in the field of social work and thus has serious implications for practice. The high prevalence of domestic violence in child protection cases is not reflected in the same way in terms of health care professionals who have discovered a much lower proportion of domestic violence (Naumann et al. 1999; Mooney, 1993). The low rate of detection by professionals can perhaps be attributable to many factors. So far enquiry in this area has suggested that the level of knowledge a practitioner may hold with regards to domestic violence and abuse may be a crucial factor. Peckover (2003) goes further to highlight that professionals improper attitudes alongside a general absence of understanding and training regarding domestic violence may also explain the low statistics in uncovering abuse. This highlights a significant gap in an area where research and early intervention should be at its most robust. This could be explained that perhaps there is no infallible distinction or separation in both policy and practice of child abuse from woman abuse (Humphreys and Mullender, YEAR). A reason why the issue exists in such a context i.e. Childrens services, it may be that there is less emphasis on the use of monitoring domestic violence and is not seen as a child protection concern. The services that are available to children living with domestic violence are based on the presumption that is the womens responsibility to protect the child from experiencing harm, which characteristically involves forcing the partner to leave or leaving the household with her children herself. This also signifies the narrow understanding of domestic violence in a multi-professional manner but also its response to it. Lack of early intervention and strategies in place to identify children who may be at a risk of harm may also lead to increased social exclusion and increased financial strain on the state (REF). By addressing such themes in the literature review I will aim to demonstrate how the relationship between domestic violence and abuse is such that, where one is existing enquiries should consistently be made about the other. This will help to form safer, more sensitive assessments and well placed interventions. In light of research shown it may raises questions as to how far the impact of domestic violence is on children who are exposed to it, what possible interventions exist for such a large social problem. Methodology I will use to address the problem Whilst it has been acknowledged that a fully systematic review cannot be undertaken due to the time constraints of my MSc course I intend to use a systematic approach when reviewing literature. I will use a literature review to highlight key themes and issues brought to light by using a systematic approach when conducting and forming my search. I have also recognised that a non-systematic approach can lead to misleading conclusions in research which is not accurately verified. In addition a non-systematic review does not undertake critique of the literature which is needed to form a balanced judgement. Whereas a systematic approach will facilitate my research question/ rationale with a well-focused searching strategy to enhance appraisal and fusion of the literature I will be researching. However, I have realised that whilst a literature review is less time consuming and the least expensive research method. There are advantages and disadvantages to this. The benefit to employing this method is that it will allow me to be rigorous when synthesising relevant data found, and examine the evidence found. Though the weakness is that it will be not me conducting primary research which would be more beneficial to make the social science discipline more evidence based. In conducting a search so far I have already recognised the implications in using the terms domestic abuse, domestic violence and intimate partner violence. I have so far found that some of these terms only take into account certain aspects such as physical assaults. Therefore I will continue to use these terms when searching for relevant literature as it is used quite inter-changeably. To help find literature that addresses the research question I will intend to use established search engines and databases such as Google Scholar; DISCOVER; PsychInfo; and CINAHL. These databases will mostly be used to search for primary sources of research conducted. In addition Dawson Era the online university library will also be utilised for secondary sources such as books and other texts. Through this I will aim to discuss possible themes that have impacted childrens development in relation to domestic abuse and the risk factors associated. I will also aim to look at intervention strategies in place that recognise domestic violence as a co-occurring factor to potential child protection and safeguarding aspects of social work practice. To exactly utilise a systematic approach when conducting a literature review it may be important to have an inclusion and exclusion criteria to help in analysing relevant data. For inclusion I will keep a time frame in mind that is in line with current policy and research. As it is only as recent as the last three decades that children and young people have been directly investigated and researched when concerned with the impact of violence to them. Therefore, I have decided to limit data found in the past two decades to address the question. Therefore in light of research found in this area, it has raised key research questions. The question I have decided to focus my review on which is; what are the impacts of domestic violence on children and what are the implications of this for social work practice. Expected contribution to knowledge I will aim to further analyse my findings by utilising theories useful to underpin data found. Theories which I will use will be the Crisis intervention theory, Maslow and his hierarchy of needs, and person-centred theory. These will help to identify further recommendations that could help child care services to better meet the needs of children affected by domestic violence. To keep from going off topic, I will aim to meet with my dissertation supervisor on a regular basis to uncover and discuss issues in more detail with work presented.

turkey Essays -- essays research papers

The Turkish Republic was established in 1923, after the fall of the Ottoman Empire. The Empire had been slowly declining for several centeries, this can be attributed to its inablity to keep up scientificaly and the socail and political wars. Finally the Lausanne Peacem Treaty of July 24, 1923 established the international status and boundaries of the new country. The Republic of Turkey was formally declared on October 29, 1923. It immediatly started on a course of modernization in all walks of life. Turkey would base its political and legal sytems on the modern secular models as well as strengthening its political relations with the West to reach its goals as a new republic. The goals as expressed by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the leader of the nationalist movement and first president of the Turkish Republic, were "to reach the level of contemporary civilization". To achieve these goals, a doctirne for foreign relations was created; as Atarurk said, "Peace at home, Peace in the world." This has not been and easy task, the history and geographical location of Turkey. It lies at a "crossroads" where the two large continents of Europe and Asia meet. This unique location gives Turkey a very diverse populations, Balkan, Mediterranean, Middle Eastersn, Caucasian and Asian identities. This has highly influenced its Foreign Polocy. Its primary objective is in short to develope friendly relations with all countries, most partic...

Analyzing the Characters of Waterland :: Waterland Essays

Analyzing the Characters of Waterland  Ã‚   In "Waterland" Swift weaves a magical yet haunting tale of ordinary characters who live through they’re own struggles and problems unadorned by the complexity of world history yet forever revolving around the isolated and mysterious Fenns. His characters are a formidable mix of the stereotyped and the unordinary as he shows us how even the most common person can lead the strangest and most complex life and display a vast range of opposed emotions and thoughts.   "Waterland" is a profound study of human nature that not only displays the intricacies of people but also analyses the men and woman that live among us and for which each of us can find a name. Thus we all know an Ernest Atkinson, a bourgeois born into wealth who finds a meaning in life in the texts of Marx which push him to oppose the life that has been imposed on him thus angering his town and family. Ernest is the most interesting character in that he shows how geniuses and men with unorthodox ideas are often called rebels and segregated from the rest of society in their uniqueness and intensity. Mary in "Waterland" leads a disturbingly bizarre life that ends with her kidnapping a baby; the transformation of her personality following the abortion and her increasing mental instability shows the fragility of the human mind. Her character as that of Ernest is astoundingly realistic and thus one of the most effective characters in the novel. One of the most compelling characteristics of Swift's writing is his mysterious characters, he only describes people at the most important and relevant part of their lives and the rest is left to the readers imagination. He also surprises the reader by withholding vital information about a character for a couple chapters than suddenly revealing it thus changing the reader's perspective completely. This permits him to build up formidably complex minds in very short periods of time as he only describes what is striking and always brings new dimensions to old characters thus he shows what Mary was like when she was a "little Madonna" and abruptly changes our whole perspective of her when we learn of her adventures thus shedding the first layer of mystery and giving the reader something new to reflect on. Swift also for some of the characters gives us information at the very the beginning of "Waterland" and it takes the whole novel for us to learn how that person died (in the case of Dic k) or became insane (in the case of Mary).

Managing Effective Labor Relations

MANAGING EFFECTIVE LABOR EMPLOYEE RELATIONS Abstract Labor relations refer to the relationship between corporate management and the unionized workforce. Administering the best practices along with the current developments in labor relations is contingent on labor management relations. In addition, the legal framework for collective bargaining and negotiations need to be examined. Knowledge of the history of the relationship between labor unions and management is fundamental in effective labor relations management today. What is a labor union?A labor union is a group of employees, who are organized by the specific job that they do. They come together to form units that bargain with their employer regarding working issues and conditions. Union workers are referred to as â€Å"blue-collar workers† because the majority of people who hold that job specification are also union members. The majority of union members work in the public sector. These are jobs where the funding source c an be national, state, or local. These types of jobs include: postal service jobs, teachers and police officers.Jobs in the private sector have no involvement with the government and are run by private citizens or groups. These types of jobs could be found in: restaurants, retail, or corporations. There are many more union members in the public sector than the private sector. Just under half of all employees in the federal, state, and local government are union members. Public school teachers, police, and firefighters hold the highest number of union workers in the local government. The second largest groups on the list of union members are protective service workers in private industry.In the private sector, union members make up about a quarter of the size of the public sector, in transportation and utility positions. Other major private industries with above-average union membership percentages are construction and manufacturing, where in each case thirteen percent of the employe es are in unions (Sloane & Witney, 2011). All union members have legal workplace rights that must be respected by their employers. Some rights are provided by federal or state statutes, hile others are inherent in specific union-employer agreements. If a union member feels that his rights have been infringed, in addition to taking legal action, charges can also be filed against employers through the National Labor Relations Board for violation of collective bargaining agreements. The NLRB is responsible for the prevention and resolving of unfair labor practices under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). They also guarantee the rights of employees to organize and bargain collectively with their employers.Another feature that union members have that non-union members don’t is a grievance procedure. This is an official complaint from the union member when they believe their contractual rights have been violated. The steps of the grievance procedure are outlined in the co llective bargaining agreement. Collective bargaining is the process whereby unions and management negotiate and administer labor agreements (Sloane & Witney, 2011). Labor union officials enjoy many special powers and immunities that were created by legislatures and the courts.Union officials claim to rely on the support of members of a political organization of workers who are exclusive of their leadership. In â€Å"Special Privileges†, (2010), the following list of special privileges reveals the rights union members have in their favor: Privilege #1:| Exemption from anti-monopoly laws. The Clayton Act of 1914 exempts unions from anti-monopoly laws, enabling union officials to forcibly drive out independent or alternative employee bargaining groups. Privilege #2:| Power to force employees to accept unwanted union representation. Monopoly bargaining, or â€Å"exclusive representation,† which is embedded in most of the country’s labor relations statutes, enabl es union officials to act as the exclusive bargaining agents of all employees at a unionized workplace, thereby depriving employees of the right to make their own employment contracts. | Privilege #3:| Power to collect forced union dues. Unlike other private organizations, unions can compel individuals to support them financially.In 27 states under the NLRA (those that have not passed Right to Work laws), all states under the RLA, on â€Å"exclusive federal enclaves,† and in many states under public sector labor relations acts, employees may be forced to pay union dues as a condition of employment, even if they reject union affiliation. | Privilege #4:| Unlimited, undisclosed electioneering. The Federal Election Campaign Act exempts unions from its limits on campaign contributions and expenditures, as well as some of its reporting requirements.Union bigwigs can spend unlimited amounts on communications to members and their families in support of, or opposition to, candidates for federal office, and they need not report these expenditures if they successfully claim that union publications are primarily devoted to other subjects. | Privilege #5:| Ability to strong-arm employers into negotiations. Unlike all other parties in the economic marketplace, union officials can compel employers to bargain with them.The NLRA, FLRA, and RLA make it illegal for employers to resist a union’s collective bargaining efforts and difficult for them to counter aggressive and deceptive campaigns waged by union organizers. | Privilege #6:| Right to trespass on an employer’s private property. The Norris-LaGuardia Act of 1932 (and state anti-injunction acts) give union activists immunity from injunctions against trespass on an employer’s property. | Privilege #7:| Ability of strikers to keep jobs despite refusing to work. Unlike other employees, unionized employees in the private sector have the right to strike; that is, to refuse to work while keeping thei r job.In some cases, it is illegal for employers to hire replacement workers, even to avert bankruptcy. | As you can see, the privileges of the union may seem unfair to non-union members. This can create a lot of mixed emotions and tension in the workplace. Although the rate of unionization has declined, its effects on the workplace are still existent. When you are non-union, it’s understandable to be complacent about union issues. Non-union employers must be aware of a number of other policy and practices that can lead to allegations of unfair-labor practices against them.To uphold a fair work environment, management looks to form new relationships between both non-union and union members. In order to prepare for issues that may occur between both parties, it is the company’s responsibility to be fully informed and aware of union laws and precedents. The focus of the traditional law of unions makes up the major part of the labor law. It is based on workers collectivel y and their rights as a group. It is different from employment law which focuses more on issues relating to the rights of individual employees.The body of law of which labor law is comprised is significant for the importance of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). The NLRA is codified at 29 U. S. C.  §Ã‚ § 151-169 and purports to serve the national interest of the United States regarding labor relations within the country (Cornell, n. d. ). When periods of widespread strikes occur, uneasy relations can very quickly and severely have an adverse effect on the entire country. A clear policy regarding labor and management encourages the best interests of the employer, which is to maintain full trade and industry production.It is essential to maintain peace in the workplace not just between employees, but employers as well. The NLRA attempts to limit industrial conflict among employers, employees, and labor organizations since the friction could affect full production which can the n result in a series of even bigger problems. Unfair labor practices Union or not, when someone is treated unfairly at work, it can destroy morale. Sometimes the unfair treatment is done accidentally, but most of the time, the unfair treatment is a very deliberate act on the part of the management.In some cases, the unfair treatment can actually be illegal. What is always true is that unfair treatment at work makes more problems than it solves, breeds animosity and distrust among employees, and creates an extremely uncomfortable work environment (Thorpe, 2008). These practices are referred to as unfair labor practices and have been singled out for their potential to harm the general welfare of employees. Through the NLRA, employees are guaranteed the right to organize and to bargain collectively with their employers through representatives of their own choosing.If they choose not to exercise these rights, they are also guaranteed the right to refrain from them. The NLRA establishes a procedure by which employees can exercise their choice whether or not to join a union in a secret-ballot election conducted by the National Labor Relations Board. When and at whose discretion a secret-ballot election may be exercised as opposed to other election procedures is currently a matter of contention between employers and labor groups (Cornell, n. d. ). For those who belong to a union, they have some protection against unfair treatment at work.Union members have the right to work free of the pressures of unfair labor practices, as defined by the NLRA. Members also have the right to file claims regarding unfair labor practices with the NLRB. According to union-organizing. com, examples of unfair labor practices include: coercion to join or refrain from joining a union; threats to close facilities in retaliation for union activities; bribes directed at employees for any reason; personal inquiries concerning union sympathies; refusal to consider grievances (Ingram, 1999).Unio ns and the United States Labor movement have continued their historic decline in terms of membership and density, in today’s economy. Unions have emerged from a period of economic growth and prosperity to becoming smaller and weaker. Having missed an incredible opportunity to grow in a time of prosperity, labor must now figure out how to build numbers and strength in face of economic uncertainty, a Republican President, war, budget deficits, public service cuts and the continued exporting of union manufacturing jobs (Lerners, 2002).The unions of the United States have huge resources: millions of members, billions of dollars in dues, and hundreds of billions in pension capital, as well as political power and the leverage of collective bargaining. These resources offer the potential and the opportunity to organize millions of workers and rebuild the labor movement. The AFL-CIO has documented that the US economy is growing away from the labor movement, growing fastest where unio ns are weakest, where only one out of ten new jobs is union. Private sector unions are losing density in the traditional unionized sectors of the economy (Lerners, 2002).The weakness of labor unions is becoming increasingly evident in the low statistics in most sectors. Supporters of union workers can see in those same numbers the potential for huge growth, with millions of non-union workers coming into those sectors. In general, it is legal for employers to try to persuade employees not to unionize. However, it is illegal for a company to attempt to prevent employees from unionizing by promises of violence, threats or other intimidating actions. It is also illegal for unions to use lies or threats of violence to intimidate employees into joining a union (Silverman, n. . ). Opponents of unions believe that labor unions are bad for business. They feel that labor unions have too much power for their size. They also feel that labor unions use this power as blackmail against companies, by causing labor monopolies. Some feel that they ask too much of companies, causing either the company to shut down, or to supply more money for their employees. Union members are generally Democratic, and are certain that Republicans believe that labor unions lead to recession because they cause wages to go up, and that causes prices to go up, which leads to lower production.For many business managers and owners who are striving to keep their firms strong in a competitive marketplace, the thought of a labor union entering the workplace and organizing the employees can be a source of headache (Hall, 1999). Although employers cannot prevent unions, they can take steps to make unionization less attractive to their non-union employees. According to some human resource professionals, the best defense against union organizing may be a good offense (Lerners, 2012).This can be obtained in a non-aggressive manner such as managers having an â€Å"open-door† policy with their subordina tes and answering any questions and concerns they may have. Human resources play a big role also, since they handle the employee benefits and relations. Keeping a good working relationship will promote effective communication, thus reducing the risk of unhappy employees who may seek to unionize. WHY DO EMPLOYEES JOIN UNIONS? 1. Failed to keep up with job rate and benefit package. 2. Rule by fear. 3. Win/Lose Philosophy of labor relations. 4. Favoritism. 5. Little, if any, personal recognition. . Lack of fair and firm discipline. 7. No input into any decision-making. 8. No career advancement available. 9. Little job security. 10. No complaint procedure, no support by employees for complaint procedure. 11. Failure to have personnel policies and benefits in writing. 12. Lack of recognition for length of service. http://www. d. umn. edu/umdhr/Policies/grievance. html In the work place, union members have the benefit of negotiating with their employer as a group. This basic right gives t hem much more power than if they were to negotiate individually, as non-union employees do.On average, union employees make 27 percent more than non-union workers and ninety-two percent of union workers have job-related health coverage versus 68 percent for non-union workers (Silverman, n. d. ). Union workers also have a great advantage over non-union workers in securing their pensions. Through their collective bargaining agreements and the grievance and arbitration processes, unions help to protect their employees from unjust dismissal. As a result, most union employees cannot be fired without â€Å"just cause,† unlike many non-union employees who can be fired at any time and for almost any reason.The use of the term â€Å"union steward† is not universal. It is, however, the most common designation given to a representative of the union whose role is to represent employees in a certain work area (Sloane & Witney, 2011). Stewards or union representatives are select ed by the union. Some unions elect their stewards while others are appointed by the union officers. No matter how they are selected, the union notifies the company of the employees who are stewards for specific work areas.Due to the size or location of the departments, they may have several stewards while other departments may have one steward who is responsible for several departments. Whatever the case, the union internally determines this and notifies accordingly. The supervisor does not have a role in the selection of the steward. Stewards are persons who are responsible to the union for performing many functions. The steward represents employees in the bargaining unit and can also recruits new members, handle communications between the union and management, and interpret the contract to employees. Most importantly, they represent the union.Supervisors should recognize and respect the steward's role. If a supervisor thinks that a steward is not successfully doing his or her job as a steward, it is not the responsibility of the supervisor to give any advice or make recommendations. The supervisor must remember that the steward is a company employee. Essentially, the steward is chosen because he or she is the most competent to represent the employees. However, it is important, that the supervisor accept the steward in good faith. It is the company’s obligation to give stewards the sincere and careful consideration to which they and the employees they represent are entitled.It is crucial that the supervisor and the steward develop a good working relationship. If both individuals can recognize their respective roles, they can form an understanding. In other words, the steward can be a friend or an enemy. As in any working relationship, time and experience will define it. A supervisor who treats a steward fairly will most likely receive fair treatment and respect from the steward. Another powerful union tool is the strike. A strike is when a group of wor kers stops working in protest to labor conditions or as a bargaining tool during negotiations between labor and management.This may not always be the most effective plan of action, but the law entitles union members the right to strike when they feel that it is necessary. Employers fear the possibility of a strike since production stops while the strike is in effect. Strikes can last anywhere from hours to weeks and the longer they continue, the more disastrous they can become for the company. While labor unions are not as prominent today as they were in the past, they still play a vital role in protecting and representing America’s workforce.As the supervisor in a union environment, the most critical relationship in a working environment is the one between employees and their immediate supervisor. To the employee, the immediate supervisor becomes the â€Å"face† of that jurisdiction's management (Karon, 2010). The responsibilities that management represents are critic al to the successful supervisory interface with employees. In a union environment, a third party (the bargaining unit) would be put into this relationship. The membership of a workforce that is represented by a union are called a bargaining unit.Employees can choose to join the union or refrain from joining; nevertheless, all are subject to the working conditions or agreement agreed to by the jurisdiction and the union (Karon, 2010). Although negotiations of these agreements can take a while to establish, the critical aspect of the process is in the administration of that contract. The supervisor is the key link in a relationship between labor and management. Each supervisor has a responsibility to ensure that the labor agreement is enforced. As a result, many supervisors will be involved in the mandated grievance process.Because supervisors generally know more about the employee than top management does, there are additional burdens placed on these supervisors. To the average emplo yee, the supervisor is management. Due to this, a supervisor must understand his or her role and responsibilities in the organization that he or she represents. Most important is the supervisor's ability to get along with employees. While close personal involvement with employees is frowned upon, the supervisor should be friendly and concerned about the welfare of those that he or she supervises at work.When a person is appointed to a supervisory position, they must realize the fine line in relationships between themselves and their employees. Providing an environment where all employees are comfortable, while remaining pro-active with full awareness of policies that apply to either union or non-union members, or both. By remaining approachable and understanding, employees will be more open to discussing concerns, thus reducing the urge to join the union for increased benefits. The introduction of the labor agreement adds a new dimension to the multi-faceted role of the supervisor.T he institution of a grievance procedure in addition to the presentation of the union representative and steward or union official, makes it even more critical for supervisors to understand that to accept the responsibility of a supervisory position means supporting and advocating management's position (Karon, 2010). The supervisor who cannot support supervisory and management in a policy does a disservice to everyone at the company. For this reason, supervisory training should be heightened to guarantee that they respond properly whenever allegations of contract violations have occurred.Enforcing company policies as well as obeying the collective bargaining agreement does not take the supervisor’s right to their own opinions away. In fact, it is the responsibility of the supervisor to pass their opinions on to other levels of management and communicate results to other employees. Since the supervisor has the most contact with the employees, it is usually the supervisor who be comes the â€Å"middleman† when disputes arise. For this reason, good communication skills and understanding the importance of the supervisor's role in your organization is essential to the success of every supervisor.Employers that have become somewhat complacent with respect to union organizing must become more active in reviewing their human resource policies and practices. Some may be surprised to find out their companies are unionized, or have union members affiliated. Often times, organizations have standard accustomed rules that their members follow. These may have been established â€Å"through the grapevine† or accepted as common knowledge. To ensure compliance with the work rules, manuals and handbooks should be reviewed regularly to evaluate whether they do or do not violate the NLRA.Furthermore, there are many resources within the administration of a company that can be employed. These include human resource programs, policies, and procedures that are infre quently utilized, as well as complaint procedures and establishing an open-door policy. Policies that require employees to first bring complaints to their immediate supervisors should also be thoroughly reviewed to verify that both union and non-union issues are handled properly. Being a supervisor is not an easy task.The supervisor is entrusted with accomplishing the work of his or her unit through the efforts of their employees within that unit. Keeping the employees informed of what their jobs are and how they are to accomplish their tasks are just a small part of the supervisor's overall responsibilities. Administering standards and expectations, developing methods to motivate and increase productivity, and ensuring compliance to all policies through open communication with all employees will promote effective labor relations within the company.Running head: MANAGING EFFECTIVE LABOR EMPLOYEE RELATIONSReferences Cabot, S. (1997). â€Å"How to avoid a union† Retrieved from: https://www. nlrb. gov/national-labor-relations-act Hall, S. (1999). How to stop union organizing. Retrieved from: http://www. ehow. com/how_7986074_stop-union-organizing. html Ingrim, D. (1999). â€Å"Union members’ rights†. Retrieved from: http://money. howstuffworks. com/labor-union5. htm Karon, J. (2010). â€Å"Discipline and Grievance†. Retrieved from: http://www. d. umn. edu/umdhr/Policies/grievance. html Lerners, S. (2002). Labor Notes â€Å"Three steps to reorganizing and rebuilding the labor movement†. Retrieved from: http://labornotes. org/node/575 â€Å"Big Labor’s Special Privileges† (n. d. ). Retrieved from: http://www. nrtw. org/d/big_labor_special_privileges. htm Sloan, A. & Witney, F. (2011). Labor Relations, 13th Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Learning Solutions. Thorpe, J. (2008). Employment Law: Unfair treatment at work. Retrieved from: http://www. helium. com/items/801741-employment-law-unfair-treatment-at- work | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |