Industrial Relations Conflicts

Industrial Relations Conflicts

1. Industrial Relations

   • Relationship between employers and employees.
   • Employees will be happier in their work. Employee motivation and productivity increases.
   • Employees will put in extra effort, become intrapreneurs.
   • Employees are more likely to stay in the job, low staff turn over.
   • Employer will delegate to employees because their trusted.
   • Able to talk out problems in the spirit of good will

2. Causes of Industrial Relations Conflicts

   • Low pay
   • Poor working conditions
   • Redundancies
   • Promotions

3. Non-Legislative Methods Of Solving Industrial Relations Conflicts

   • Negotiation
     • Trade Unions
       • Fight for better pay/working conditions
       • Represent an employee on their behalf
       • Fight to protect against its members' interests
       • ICTU
         • Gives permission for all out strikes
         • Settles disputes between unions
         • Provides training to unions
         • Promote the cause of the trade union movement
     • A process of bargaining to try to reach a mutually acceptable solution to the conflict

4. Pay Claims

   • Comparability Claim
     • Pay rise because another employee doing similar work got one.
   • Relativity Claim
     • Pay of certain employees is linked to the pay of other employees despite doing completely seperate jobs eg. teachers and nurses.
   • Productivity Claim
     • Pay rise to compensate for having to work harder or cope with changes
   • Cost Of Living Claim
     • Pay rise because they can't afford to live on the wages they get due to inflation.

5. Concilliation

   • Two parties in a dispute meet with an independent third party. Acts as a facilitator, offering advice and guidance. No power to tell them what to do.

6. Arbitration

   • Independent third party investigates a dispute, makes a ruling and solves the problem. Employer and employee agree in advance to the decision; binding arbitration.

7. Legislative Methods Of Solving Industrial Relations Conflicts

   • Industrial Relations Act. 1990
     • Trade Dispute
       • A dispute between employers and employees in connection with the employment or non-employment of employees and the terms and conditions of their job.
       • Illegal Trade Disputes
         • Disputes over closed shop agreements
         • Political issues
       • Legitimate Trade Disputes
         • Pay and conditions of employment
         • Dismissal or suspension of an employee
         • Employee refusing to recognize the union
         • Discrimination
     • Secret Ballot & Week's Notice
       • Must give employer one weeks notice
     • Primary Picketing
       • Picketing peacefully outside their employer's business.
     • Secondary Picketing
       • Employees protest outside another employer's business premises. It can only be done it the other employee is helping their boss break the strike, otherwise, it is illegal.
     • Immunity
       • Employees cannot be sued for damages caused by the strike
     • Set up the LRC
   • Labour Relations Commission
     • Provides a conciliation service.
     • Provides an industrial relations advisory service
     • Draws up codes of practice to be used by employers and employees in certain industrial relations situations
     • Conducts research into industrial relations and monitors current developments in industrial relations
     • Provides the services of the Rights Commissioners and the Equality Officers
       • Investigates single or small groups of employees. Only deals with disputes about unfair dismissal, suspension, maternity leave and disciplinary procedures. Both employee and employer must agree to their decision.
   • Labour Court
     • Provide a free service for solving industrial relations problems. It is known as the court of last resort.
     • Issues recommendations
     • Hears appeals from an employer or employee against the recommendation of the Equality Officer & Rights Commissioner.
     • Interprets LRC codes of practice.
     • Established Joint Labour Committees (JLC)
   • Unfair Dismissals Act 1977/2007
     • Reasons for fair dismissal
       • Incompetent
       • Misconduct
       • Redundancies
       • Incapable
       • Unqualified
     • Reasons for unfair dismissal
       • Pregnancy
       • Union Activities
       • Beliefs
       • Race
       • Suing Boss
       • Age
       • Traveller
       • Sexuality
   • Employment Equality Act 1998
     • Discrimination
       • Gender
       • Civil Status
       • Family Status
       • Age
       • Disability
       • Race
       • Sexuality
       • Religious Beliefs
       • Traveller
     • Positive Discrimination
     • Equal pay for equal work
     • Set up Equality Authority
       • Aims to eliminate discrimination
       • Provides information about Employment Equality Act
       • Promotes equal opportunities
       • Set Up Director of the Equality Tribunal
         • Equality Mediation Officer
         • Equality Officer
         • Can dismiss a claim. Makes the final decision.

8. Industrial Action

   • Legitimate Types of Industrial Action
     • Official Strike
       • Secret Ballot
       • Seven days norice
       • Strike Pay
       • Peaceful protest
     • Work-To-Rule
       • work doesn't stop
       • Do what is in contract
       • Over Time Ban
         • Workers refuse to do any over time
   • Illegitimate Types Of Industrial Action
     • Unofficial Strikes
       • No secret vote
       • No weeks notice given
     • Wildcat/Lightening Strikes
       • No warning at all
     • Political Strike
       • Protesting against the government by stopping work.
     • Sympathetic Strike
       • Workers not involved in the dispute go out on strike to show their support fot the disputing workers.