employer-employee relations

employee representations

• trade unions

• works councils

• employee committees

trade unions

• organisation established to protect and improve economic and working conditions of workers eg NUT

• focus on negotiations with employers thru collective bargaining

• focus on pay and working conditions

• reps members at industrial tribunals and gives workers advice on employment issues

• prominent in public sector

• substantial decline of membership over 20 years

works council

• forum within business where workers and managers meet to discuss issues relating to conditions, pay and training

• members elected from workforce by workforce

• builds cooperation with managers

• allows voice of workforce to be heard on reg basis w out trade unions rep

• involves employee in key business decisions such as restructuring or expansion

employee committee

• group of employees meeting tg to focus on specific issues in workforce, may not be recognised or attended by managers

• informal groups set up by workers to focus on certain aspect of work

• typically focus on issues like employee social events, safety and working conditions

• may influence decisions made at works councils

influences on employee rep

• nature of work carried out by employees, low kill less likely to have sig input into decision making

• leadership and management style of the boss- autocratic managers may want to limit input of employees

• corporate objectives of business and mission statement- business in crisis may want to make quick decisions and avoid consultations w employees

• history of the business- what has happened in past?

• employment leg