IR & Collective Bargaining

Course Instructor
Anubha Dadhich, PhD (IIT/D)
The Labor Movement
What do Unions Want?
• Union Security
• Closed Shop
• Union Shop
• Agency Shop
• Preferential Shop
• Maintenance of Membership
• Improved Wages, Hours, Working Conditions, Benefits
• AFL-CIO and the SEIU

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Unions & the Law
period of strong encouragement
The Norris-LaGuardia Act,
1932

The National Labor

Relations Act, 1935
(Unfair Labor Practices)

The Wagner Act, 1935

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Unions & the Law
period of modified encouragement

The Taft-Hartley Act, 1947

Rights of Employers

National Emergency
Strikes

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Unions & the Law
period of detailed regulation

The Landrum-Griffin Act,

1959

Bill of rights

Labor law today

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Social Media and HR
• Postings on Social Media
• NLRB stance

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The Collective Bargaining Process

What is collective bargaining?

What is good faith bargaining?

The negotiating team

Bargaining items

Bargaining stages

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Bargaining Items

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The Collective Bargaining Process

Impasses, mediation, & strikes

The contract agreement

Dealing with grievances

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People Management Dynamics at the Indian
Subsidiary of SUZUKI Ltd.

CASE DISCUSSION

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Case Discussion

Q1. Who do you think are the key actors whose approach and styles
have contributed to the present state of employees' relation in the
MSIL Manesar plant, and what role have they played in this regard ?

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Q2. Why was there Managerial indifference towards the Manesar
workers ?

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Case Discussion

Q3. What other factors contributed to the IR breakdown at the

Manesar plant?

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Case Discussion

Q4. What cross-cultural issues need attention to avoid such problems

in future? What are your comments on the increasing ethnocentrism in
the MSIL’s HR Function?

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Case Discussion

Q5. Was there a discrepancy between the projected and actual roles
played by state agencies in this case ? If yes, please explain why ?

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Case Discussion

Q6. What do you think would have happened if, during the violence,
the HR General Manager had not been killed but had only been injured
as others were ?

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Case Discussion

Q7. Should MSIL adopt an “empowerment” HR strategy or a “fit” HR

strategy in handling the Manesar workers in order to build a high
performing organization that is able to retain and enlarge market
share? Discuss in depth.

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Summary
1. The labor movement in the U.S. and the various arrangements
2. Engaged employees are less likely to support unionization efforts
3. Labor laws influenced by the various federal legislation acts
4. The five steps to union drives and elections
5. Bargaining collectively in good faith
6. Unions strategize to encourage ways in which to stay visible and
relevant

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