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Unions and Management

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Submitted By ashrae630
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Final Paper
Ashley Ford
BUS372: Employee & Labor Relations
Felicia Bridgewater
10/8/2012

Final Paper Unions are meant to represent employees in negotiations with management in the organizations in which they work. Not all organizations are union companies; there are actually more non-union companies than there are ones that are represented by unions. It is important for union representatives and management personnel to get along and work together when trying to negotiate terms of employee contracts and resolving issues that arise in everyday work situations. In this paper we will look at the roles of the union in an organization and the role of management in an organization. We will also explore strategies that unions and management can employ to make the relationship between them more conducive. In what ways can unions work to make this relationship better and in what ways can management work to make the relationship better. Communication and commitment are vital, unions and management must work together.
The Role of the Union in an Organization The main role and function of a union is to help with the dialogue between employees and employers and minimize conflict. “It refers to an organization of employees within a trade or profession that has the objective of representing its members’ interest, through improving pay and working conditions” (Labor Unions, 2007). Unions provide workers with a sense of security during times of low economic stability. They can offer them pay when they are not working and benefits such as these are very important to workers. According to our text, unions offer self-fulfillment to workers and this has led to union membership as well. Unions also meet safety needs for employees and have been credited with improving working conditions and wages over the years. The safety needs are not just physical safety and

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