Trade Unions Management

Question: Should trade unions continue in contemporary human resource management? Explain. Answer: Introduction Trade unions are a very old concept and it is one such concept that is being used across organization in different industry segments and different geographies. This concept is widely used because it helps to create a win-win situation for both employer and employees. With trade unions, employer also gets a representation to which it can lists down its expectations. With trade unions, organizations can also achieve higher standardization in place. Trade unions can also help organizations or employers to have a set of defined processes and policies that employee must follow (Ferguson, 2013). It also provides a structure approach to the interaction between employees and employer. One of the important benefits of trade unions is that it helps to create a trust factor in employees. However, the trade unions are on an extinction path. With the evolution of contemporary Human Resource Management, the role of trade unions have marginalized. The objective of this essay is to discuss the impor tance of trade unions in todays world and to analyze the importance of trade unions. The essay would also make the point, if trade unions be continue or not. Analysis Authors defined the crises of trade union. Authors pointed out that going forward trade union would definitely have a role to play in public sector but its role in private sector and closed firms is uncertain. It is believed that firms in private sector have a clear goal of profit making. If trade unions can help them to increase the productivity of employees by minimizing employee grievances then trade unions could be a key for private firms also. Meardi, (2012) compared trade unions to endangered species. They argued that trade unions should not be thought of as endangered species (at least now). Authors highlighted that it is correct that the role of trade unions has become limited and people may not like the idea of full fledge trade unions but it appears that trade union would continue to be part of businesses and industry. It is also possible the current roles of trade unions would change but it would continue to be part of industry. It is also believed that trade unions hold the capacity to shape their own future. At this moment, the future is not all bright but it appears that trade unions would make steps to make themselves agile, flexible, output oriented so that they can have a bigger role in organizational and employee development. It is important that the trade unions should be thought of as a body that could be useful for both employees and employer. The agreement of the partnership between employer and union can be at strategic level that would help both employees and employer. It would be correct to say that HRM should not be considered as a ploy to neutralize trade union power. In fact, HRM function should enable trade unions to work effectively. At the same time, it would also be correct to say that the role of traditional union government would vanish if it focuses only one negotiation. It is the time when trade unions would have to evolve and adopt some additional function in order to be in the race. (Paauwe, 2009) highlighted that it is the time when trade unions should join hands with HRM function in the organization. It would be correct to say that the power of trade unions is being diminished, as the things in the organizations are getting process oriented and not people dependent. The role of trade unions has been marginalized. To some extent, this also depends on the way organizations have evolved from 1960s and 1970s when trade unions used to play a major role. The performance based reward systems and flexible working environment are the reasons for extinction of trade unions. In 1960s, job stability was more important that the growth and that is the reason of establishment of trade unions. (Glassner Pochet) highlighted that in todays world, it is the growth that matters. Even employees may not want to participate in union affairs. The need of the hour is that there should be a direct relationship and communication between employer and employees. Traditionally, trade unions do plays a critical role in manufacturing industry. In fact, the concept of trade unions were orchestrated to facilitate and safeguard the rights of line workers and mid-level management in manufacturing and other associated industries. So, Yes, trade unions have been a feature of an economy based on manufacturing but trade unions have been a feature in other industries also. Moreover, the culture of strike has been associated with firms in manufacturing industry. Hence, trade unions have been associated deeply with firms in manufacturing sector. It is correct to say that the trend of trade unions have reduced significantly in last 30 years. It appears very unlikely that this trend would be reversed in the near future. The rise of capitalism, privatization and liberalization are important factors that have reduced the role of trade unions (Restubog, 2011). This trend can be reversed if capitalism, privatization and liberalization go out of the market and is replaced by socialism, communism and non-privatization. It appears very unlikely that government would change its policies around the way market forces operate. Hence it is very unlikely too that this trend would change. However, trade unions can play a crucial role in private and modern day organizations also. It is a very relevant point that Trade Unions have made significant contribution in the working of employees and operations of employer still there contribution is less known. The first connotation with trade unions comes as strike or industrial unrest. Traditionally, trade unions have played a major role to uphold the safety and health environment in factories and industrial set up. In todays time of globalization, internationalization and Internet, we can say that trade unions are of less importance but trade unions have played a significant role in 1960s and 1970s. Messersmith Guthrie, (2010) highlighted that the contribution of trade unions cannot be marginalized. It is just the point that HRM function has evolved and emerged as critical business function. People would often blame trade unions in case of ill effects on employee wellbeing. Whereas trade unions do not get much of the appreciation when things are in place. Conclusion With the above discussion, it can be said that trade unions, which would have good leaders at, top and which would be able to have good negotiation skills would be able to survive. The survival of trade unions would also depend on organizational policies. It is important that employees and employer should realize all the benefits that trade unions can offer. It is important that trade unions should be consider as a platform for industrial relationship and it should not be mixed with politics. With the above discussion, it can be said that Trade Unions would continue to have a role in contemporary human resource management. Precisely, it can be said that HRM function and trade unions can co exists. HRM function can be a platform where trade unions can evolve and mature References Bordia, P., Restubog, S. L. D., Jimmieson, N. L., Irmer, B. E. (2011). Haunted by the past: Effects of poor change management history on employee attitudes and turnover.Group Organization Management, 1059601110392990. Frankland, R., Mitchell, C. M., Ferguson, J. D., Sziklai, A. T., Verma, A. K., Popowski, J. E., Sturgeon, D. H. (2013).U.S. Patent No. 8,484,111. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Glassner, V., Pochet, P. (2011). Why trade unions seek to coordinate wages and collective bargaining in the Eurozone: past developments and future prospects. Meardi, G. (2012). Union immobility? Trade unions and the freedoms of movement in the enlarged EU.British Journal of Industrial Relations,50(1), 99-120. Messersmith, J. G., Guthrie, J. P. (2010). High performance work systems in emergent organizations: Implications for firm performance.Human resource management,49(2), 241-264. Paauwe, J. (2009). HRM and performance: Achievements, methodological issues and prospects.Journal of management studies,46(1), 129-142. Schalkwyk, J., Beeferman, D., Beaufays, F., Byrne, B., Chelba, C., Cohen, M., ... Strope, B. (2010). Your Word is my Command: Google Search by Voice: A Case Study. InAdvances in Speech Recognition(pp. 61-90). Springer US. https://hbr.org/2010/04/positive-peer-pressure-a-power/