Contemporary Developments in Employment Relations

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Project 5DER. Contemporary
Developments in Employment
Relations.

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Table of Contents
Question 1:.............................................................................................................................................3
1.1 Indeterminate nature of Employee Relations....................................................................................3
1.2 Compare and contrast of unitarist and pluralist approach.................................................................3
1.3 Factors affecting employment relations............................................................................................4
Question 2:..................................................................................................................................................6
2.1 Features of the contract of employment............................................................................................6
2.2 Sources of UK and EU employment relations..................................................................................7
2.3 Main Developments in individual and employment law...................................................................8
Question 3:..................................................................................................................................................8
2.4 Purpose and scope of statutory trade union recognition....................................................................8
Question 4:................................................................................................................................................10
3.1 Employee involvement, participation and partnership....................................................................10
3.2 Compare and contrast union and non-union forms of employee representation..............................10
3.3 Assess link between employee voice and organization performance- Employee voice and
participation..........................................................................................................................................11
Question 5:................................................................................................................................................13
4.1 Difference in misbehavior, conflict and official and unofficial industrial action. ..........................13
4.2 Contemporary trends in types of conflict and industrial sanctions..................................................14
Question 6:................................................................................................................................................15
4.3 Managerial skills for effective grievance and dispute handling......................................................15
4.4 Third party conciliation, mediation and arbitration.........................................................................16

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Question 1:
1.1 Indeterminate nature of Employee Relations.
Employee relatiaons have the element of indeterminacy which links to labor contract
which does not make apparent the effort of reward distribution from employers' end. Hence,
workers are expected to meet goals without expecting any perks. It also includes the unequal
employee links despite work responsibility involved neither workers have enough freedom to
decide work opportunities themselves.
Also, if a worker declines an offer, then it is offered to someone else.
Employment relations is that term which refers to as effort of company in order to
manage relationship between employers and also employees.
• Labour and labour power- It us the capacity for labor in order to understand the aggregate
of capabilities in terms of mental and physical that basically exist in human being.
• Regulatory- Government regulations are defined as term in order to control and direct by
rule, principle, method in order to regulate the expenses.
Labour and labour power
Labour Labour power
Laborer is something which human always
have done in order to produce goods and
services upon which life depends.
Labour power is historically specific and is
often absent in long periods of human history.
The value of commodity is measured by
average number of hours of labour that is
basically required in order to produce that
particular commodity or product.
The value of labour power is constructed in
which surplus value is basically conserved in
transformation from the values of labour to
prices.
Nature of employee relationship
Employment relationship is an agreement between employee and employer. There are
also hard fast rules in order to determine this relationship. They must give whatever is offered to
employee. Employee relations are the effort of a company in order to manage relationship

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between the superior and subordinates of particular organization. Thus, if there is good
relationship than it will lead them in providing fair and consistent treatment to everyone so that it
will assist them in committing to their task or role and also be loyal to their workplace.
Labour and Labour Power, definition: organization strategic recruitment process to attract
human labour to the organization job opportunities, human labour with the right skills, the right
knowledge, eligible, and for the right role which reverses later into a high turnover as result of
hiring the right human labour.
Furthermore, human labour is a worker(s) who bring his/her services/skills to an organization for
sell and he/she will sell their services/skills to the organization when a contract of employment
have been agreed and signed between employer and employee and the capitalist employer owns
the means of production (ex: factory, office, equipment, raw materials, etc) with the help of
skilled human labour which help the organization to increase their turnover. However, if the
organization hire unfit human labour, the new human labour will more than likely cause a
discrepancy in organization high turnover, it can also result in earlier resignation, damage some
of the organization facilities or delete important information, especially if the organization hired
unfit human labour and failed to provide an induction and training the new human labour and
monitor their activities in the organization. It is important to monitor the human labour as it helps
the organization to establish training needs in order to not only keep the employees motivated but
also help the employees to develop within the organization which will result in improving the
organization productivity.
In the same time human labour has the power to hold the organization from going forward
to improve or continue its production by taking legal strikes, take legal actions against the
organization as court proceedings for: breaching the contract, employee(s) rights, employee(s)
accident as result of organization not following health and safety procedures, etc,.
1.2 Compare and contrast of unitarist and pluralist approach.
Unitarist definition: an individual or a group of individuals who work in an organization
with the organization shareholders, managers, leaders, HR towards achieving common goals, all
members (mangers and staff) share the same interest (Alan Fox, 1966).
Pluralist definition: a frame of reference focuses more on incriminating and collective
bargaining agreements identifying different interests within sub-groups can cause conflict, in
most cases between the management and trade union (Alan Fox, 1966). Pluralism acknowledge

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the importance of conflict and negotiation. The power and control that managers possess,
unbalance power between capital and labour. Organizations who use such practice values
negotiation reaching agreements that benefits the employees and employer evenly.
The unitary approach is dependent on a common goal for reaching optimization in
employee relations.
In the unitary approach, the management has the right to exercise an authorised control
even in the domain of irrationality. Whereas, the pluralist approach makes sure that conflict is
handled correctly and that it buffers disruption. It is against a Marxist viewpoint and is consistent
with variable opinions of managers and employers. Both of the unitary and pluralist approaches
abide by the capitalist socio-polity. In the unitary viewpoint, strikes are considered within non-
conformity and are not encouraged those who take part in it.
The issue of trade union membership is considered in the domain of fidelity on the part of
workers that can incite antagonism within the organization. Whereas, the pluralist perspective
relies on collective bargaining while improving worker and management relationship where
protection against the employer is guaranteed.
Moreover, the managerial style under unitary perspective boosts teamwork and leadership
rather than cutthroat power system. It is assumed that the relationship between managerial and
working staff is cordial. Whereas within a pluralist perspective, the working relationship is not
presumed. It is believed that employees have different interests and right to express or differ
(Hoque 2013).
As being a manager of my organization I would have adopted this Unitary approach.
1.3 Factors affecting employment relations.
o Unitary perspective is implicit towards state whereas the state is a central focus
within pluralism.
 When the state role is implicit, it is understood that any external labour laws will be
considered a hindrance within industrial relations. In pluralism, the state is considered a
liaison to strike a balance within work and employee relation, especially for regulation
amelioration. Both approaches but despises the coercive role of the state to suppress
labour roles.
It can be stated that an employment relationship is a working contract in which implied
issues may exist because employers have a greater power of control. It is hence

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incumbent for trade unions to assume a proactive and productive role in maintaining a
healthy working relationship.
The legal support trade unions are under the Employment Relations Act of 1999. The law
realises different forms of employee representation and the propositions of collective
bargaining through greater interests, however, there are problems within legal sanctions.
The statutory relies on ‘voluntary recognition' and ‘partnership at work'. I would reflect
on the starting point of how comparable is this statutes with other authorisation elements
such as citizenship grants or any recognition from a foreign party. However, employers
are different from any polity and the rights to trade unions given can be based only on
their transactions without third parties. I feel that is a problematic matter, especially in
Britain when the value of industrial agreements have lessened. It has been seen that
bargaining has been seen on an individual level, not at the sector or industrial level. Now
the British employees are covered within a small proportion for collective bargaining.
I feel that ‘depth' of the trade union is more important than the ‘scope' of bargaining
which helps trade union negotiation to be permitted slightly. The depth of negotiation
refers to an employer's predisposition to make concessions and other perks offered to
trade unions.
Management style
Management style is termed as overall method of leadership that is been used by
manager.
• Traditional- this system basically focus o goals and objectives that has been targeted by
senior manager of the particular company. The main aim is to focus on partnership with
that of customers in order to produce product or service that meets or exceeds the needs
and their expectations.
• Consultative- in this style manager consult with team members before deciding any kind
of decision. They consult with members regarding that particular decision.
• Persuasive style- this is little uncertainty, clearly defined roles and expectations for
employees and also speed of decision making.
Range of factors that affects employment relations
External factors