Basic Proposition:Basic Proposition:

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The concepts and practices of industrial relations and human resource management are insufficient analytical and practical tools to understand and conduct the increasing complicated process of employment relations.

Therefor a newer bridging concept and approach is required.

It is concerned with:

◦ employment, unemployment and self employment

◦ how Individuals, groups, organisations or the State have their interests represented

◦ investigating what these interests are◦ discovering how individuals manage and promote

their interests within an organisation◦ the way in which conflict is managed and

regulated.

What is Employment RelationsWhat is Employment Relations

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An important precursor to the older version of Employment Relations is the Systems Approach

The Systems Approach was an early attempt to place Industrial Relations into a general theory or framework- traditional actors were seen to be the State, employers, unions and employees

This approach also emphasised rules and practices as key Employment Relations outputs

Older version of Employment Older version of Employment Relations Relations

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Limitations of the Systems Approach

◦ more of a descriptive framework than an explanatory approach to Employment Relations

◦ preoccupied with rules and stability◦ tends to overlook the dynamics of interest

divergence and conflict

Older version of Employment Older version of Employment Relations Relations

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Older version of Employment Relations Older version of Employment Relations

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Has broadened over time, is still evolving Uses an interdisciplinary approach- sociology,

economics, psychology, history and politics Can use a conflict frame of reference similar to

but not identical with the Older Version of Employment relations- radical pluralism and marxism, pluralism and unitarism.

Definition of the ‘new’ Definition of the ‘new’ Employment Relations approachEmployment Relations approach

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International National Industry Organisational or corporate Workplace Individual.

Levels of Employment RelationsLevels of Employment Relations

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Social Action:

◦ Individual, subjective and action or-oriented approach to Employment Relations ‘asks’ such questions as how does the individual

‘see’ or interpret employment relations recognises that people may not share similar

ideology and often attach different meanings to Employment Relations interactions and changes

It tries to explain individual behaviour- motivation, bargaining and conflict resolution.

Employment RelationsEmployment Relations

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Social Approach

◦ Weakness of this approach

its explanations tend to be subjective and are often ideologically motivated

Difficult to obtain a comprehensive view of Employment Relations changes and interactions.

Employment RelationsEmployment Relations

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Conflict frames of reference:

◦ - attempt to explain why conflict exists in the workplace, the status that is attached to conflict (i.e. positive or negative) and how conflicts should be addressed to employers, unions and employees

◦ -conflict frames of reference constitute a general view of employer and employee relationship

◦ -wide coverage: from unitarism to marxism.

Employment RelationsEmployment Relations

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Unitarism

◦ Paternalism, little or ‘no room’ for conflict, or union or employee influence

◦ Managerial prerogative is stressed

◦ Neo- unitarism: in certain forms of HRM

◦ Criticisms: Unrealistic and can lead to employee unhappiness and lower

productivity By passes different views of employee rights.

Employment RelationsEmployment Relations

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Pluralism◦ Acknowledges managerial prerogative and employee

rights- operates as a continuous balancing act◦ Collective and individual approaches

◦ Criticisms May focus too much in conflict resolution and how to

accommodate changes and power differences- thus there is a need for a more comprehensive analysis of conflict

Could put more emphasis on government influence and how power differences exist at all Employment Relations levels.

Employment RelationsEmployment Relations

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Radical Pluralism (influenced by Marxism)

◦ Conflict is inherent in Employment Relations -power imbalance between employees and employers

Unions can counter but not overcome exploitation of employees

Radical pluralism emphasises power differences and private ownership of the means of production. Employers have power and use it to further their own goals. The State is not a neutral actor and is influenced by the structure and power constellations of the capitalist society.

Employment RelationsEmployment Relations

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The language may have changed but a lot of the components have remained the same.

ConclusionConclusion

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