Hrm 324 - Solving Union Issues

Solving Union Issues

HRM 324

Solving Union Issues

Union management relationships affect the company, employees, and union members in numerous ways.  Positive aspects of unions are the fight for worker’s rights, safety, benefits, and wages.  The negative aspect of unions is the hindrance of company growth and impeding the achievement of employee career goals.  Questions posed in the UPS video cover several areas of unions, such as how unions affect growth, creativity, and compensation.  Other questions that are answered cover alternative dispute resolutions, reductions in union memberships, and a scenario regarding bargaining and withdrawing membership.  

What Makes the Union Believe UPS Was Right for Being Organized?

Union’s effect management relations in positive and negative ways.  Based on the UPS segment and speaker, Wheeler (2013), unions believe the company was right for being organized for reasons that include equality and structure.  With structure, the environment will have securely established rules and guidelines and well-negotiated wages and benefits through collective bargaining.  Unions “fight for workers’ rights, safety, and benefits”, however, with strict control of the unions, employers are not able to react to concerns and make changes quickly, even if it may benefit workers (Wheeler, 2013, para.1).

Unions Stifle Creativity

When union negotiators work well and reasonable with management, employees can benefit greatly from being part of a union.   Although, it can be beneficial for several workers to be part of a union, unions most often stifle creativity and individual growth.  If an individual is self-motivated, aspire to grow, and go above the normal work effort it is not beneficial to be part of a union, since unions do not promote individualism.  If an individual wanted to demonstrate their creativity, added skills, or knowledge, the Unions do not allow increases in individual compensation.  Unions also stifle company creativity, such as self-directed work teams, improvements in productivity, eliminations of second-level management, and provide opportunities for individuals to make more decisions (Wheeler, 2013. Para.5).  

Non-Union Employees versus Union Employees

Union and non-union employees benefit in several ways through compensation and security.  However, non-union employees working for non-union companies, that take the opportunity to excel, may have it easier to acquire higher compensation.  Non-union employees benefit through individualism, recognition, and the ability to excel, which union employees do not.  It is not guaranteed that a non-union worker will make more just because of the extra opportunities; it all depends on the position that is held, the organization, and the collective bargaining for the union worker.  Other factors need to be considered when deciding if a union is beneficial, such as the cost of dues versus wages.  Depending on the industry, organization, and education of a non-union worker they may be able to climb the ladder or qualify for bonuses that would earn them a higher compensation.  However, union members have shown through 114 studies that union workers earn between 8.9 to 12.4 percent more than their equivalent nonunion workers (Milkovich, et.al., 2014, p,520).