Unions Versus Human Resources

According to Beer et al (1984), human resources management (HRM) has developed as a way to serve workers’ interests, albeit internally within the workplace. This challenges the role of worker advocacy.  Historically, workers’ interests have been served by external representatives from labor unions, and have also been protected through government interventions such as laws and regulations. The purpose of this assignment is to understand the roles of unions and the role of HRM, and examine whether workers have adequate support and protections in the modern workplace. After reading the text chapters for Week One and Week Two and reviewing the resources provided:

Explain how unions, human resources management personnel, and government interventions (such as laws and regulations) serve to address worker rights and worker safety.

Evaluate whether unions and HRM have unique roles for different groups (i.e., the organization, management, and the workers) or if there are areas of overlap.

Assess the following statement, “Workers in the modern workplaces of America are well protected and well supported.” Explain whether you agree or disagree with this statement, based on what you now know about government interventions, unions, HRM, and worker advocacy. Be sure to support your agreement or disagreement with statements of reasoning from your analysis.

The paper must be four to five double-spaced pages in length (excluding the title and reference pages) and formatted according to APA style. You must use at least three scholarly sources (which can be found in the Ashford University Library) other than the textbook to support your claims. Cite your sources in text and on the reference page. For information regarding APA samples and tutorials, visit the Ashford Writing Center, within the Learning Resources tab on the left navigation toolbar, in your online course. In particular, it would be helpful for you to review the In-Text Citation Guide, the APA References List, and the APA Essay Checklist for Students to ensure you have all of the required components for this assignment.

Reference: Beer et al (1984) Managing Human Assets. The Free Press: New York, NY.

The author of The Impact of Human Resources Management Practices in SMES stated that, “Humans are the most important assets for a successful business. [More important] than money, materials or machines because without skilled and competent workers no activity can be performed efficiently” (Shafeek, 2016, p. 92). There are not two people can argue this valid statement. Human rights for safety and protection is necessary for their physical and mental well being, to be a provider for the self, family, community and the country as whole. When an issue arises affecting a vast variety of people, they unite to achieve a common goal, and that is what happened in the beginning of the 20th century. After thousands of deaths and injuries in mines and factories, citizens came together to fight for their basic rights of surviving in the work place. Following the triangle shirtwaist fire, in 1913 the department of labor was establish, prior to that though, there were numerous unofficial labor unions protesting for better working conditions. Human Resource Management also emerged in the early 20th century but did not have an effective role in the work field till later. Labor unions, Human Resource Management, and Government interventions have one common purpose in protecting rights of workers, but each one pursues it differently.The“Responsibility for worker equality rests with unions, human resources offices, social services, worker and immigration centers, legal services, and even individual citizens who are aware of exploitative situations” (Korgen, Jeffry Odell & Giraffe, 2015).

Labor unions were created in the 1900’s by skilled workmen, like machinists, ironworkers, miners, etc. each profession had its own union representing other members in the same work field presenting issues involving that specific line of work. Labor Unions were frowned upon by employers and businessmen. Strikes were illegall, employers had the power to fire and discriminate against employees that are taking part in it. at times, owners would pay a fraction of what other employees are getting paid and that was still legal. “The lack of organization as well as suppression by employers often thwarted efforts to substantially improve working conditions” (Korgen, Jeffry Odell & Giraffe, 2015). Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in 1911, became a turning point for unions. Only then it was clear that working conditions are not safe, where the government stepped in and passed few safety laws and regulations. It was only then required to have first aid stations, Guards, and fire exits.

The union movement has strong beliefs and espouses universal values, living wage, work with dignity, and achievement through collective action. The authors of The Role of Labor Unions in Creating Working Conditions That Promote Public Health, mentioned that “income is a primary social determinant of health, associated with the living environment and overall well-being of individuals or families” (Hagedorn, Paras, Greenwich, & Hagopian, 2016, p. 989). Labor unions were involved in changing work conditions, “unions have historically been involved in creating healthy and safe workplaces, advocating regulations that are monitored and enforced by public health entities such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration” (Hagedorn, Paras, Greenwich, & Hagopian, 2016, p. 989). In the past 20 years the number of unions and its member declined, due to younger generations’ feelings towards it. Todays generation do not value the importance of labor unions, a union is one way people band together for protection and mutual succor. Now a days we do not deal with hazardous conditions and deaths in the workplace, there are other issues like raising the minimum wage, equal, better benefits. Labors unions went on strikes, protested, got fired, and sometimes paid less just to grant few rights protecting workers around the country.

Shafeek clarified that Human Resources Management is “the age old practice of recruitment, employee selection, providing proper orientation and induction, providing proper training and skills development, employee assessment and appraisal, providing proper compensation and benefits, employee motivation, maintaining employee health and safety” (Shafeek, 2016, p.91). HRM duties are not to only higher qualified candidates for a particular position but also provide good quality of working life. HRM makes sure that the company’s employees are satisfied with the workload and pay, HRM address distinctive worker interests. They are trusted enough by employers to make important decisions other than hiring and firing, for instant giving rise to a more stressful and even coercive work environment.HRM ultimate goal is the satisfaction of the employer and employees, if someone is not happy working with a certain company then his/her production level is low. Whereas, if they are satisfied with working conditions, hours, wage, and benefits then he/she will invest their time and energy in something worthwhile. It is crucial to “ Keep employees informed of the company’s labor situation, make sure they remain busy, and implement other measures aimed at increasing trust in management and commitment to the company, such as actively listening to worker’s concerns and recognizing and rewarding their accomplishmen” (Korgen, Jeffry Odell & Giraffe, 2015), in order to have a successful business running with both employees and employers satisfaction. HRM just like labor unions the workers well-being is their goal, but approached differently. HRM work from the inside to accomplish employees and employer’s contentment, but generally”HRM closely associated with unions, participatory workplace practices would appear to be effective for workers only where a union is established” (Godard, 2010).

The government passes laws to enhance living conditions for its citizens, its job is to gain knowledge economical conditions, but that is not always the case. civil rights and liberties have traditionally been viewed through a relationship between the state and the individual, sometimes the government wait for protests and strikes to make a move and pass a law in favor of citizens. Through our history in some cases the government’s operates a bit too slow, as mentioned the department of labor was established only after a disaster happened and lots of lives were lost. Since then, Federal laws were passed to protect workers, prevent accidents, set minimum wage, and safety. Some of these are The Fair Labor Standards Act  which “established restrictions on both the type of work children could do and the number of hours they could labor” (Korgen, Jeffry Odell & Giraffe, 2015), and now it ensures that American workers receive a minimum wage for their work. The Occupational and Safety Health Act (OSHA) 1970 went a long way toward minimizing dangers in the American workplace. OSHA’s was “established by Congress to regulate workplace hazards and health threats” (Korgen, Jeffry Odell & Giraffe, 2015) . Title VII of the Civil Rights Act was passed to prohibit discrimination because of race, color, national origin, religion, and sex. One recent legislation is the Paycheck Fairness Act where it “would increase penalties for employers who pay different wages to men and women for “equal work” (Pay Equity Overview, 2014).

Labor unions, HRM, and fedral laws were established to protect employees from employers and now it is vice versa there are laws protecting employers from employees. Workers’ rights and well being are “practices socially constructed, their implications can be expected to vary over time in accordance with institutionalization processes and socioeconomic conditions, and across nations in accordance with differences in national institutional environments.” (Godard, 2010), some of the issues in the work place a 100 years are different today but some are still the same, like minimum wage. Employees today are protected in some aspects, but not well supported. Employees are protected against discrimination but not well supported if fell sick, we came a long way since 1900’s but it is not the 1900’s anymore. Nonetheless,” labor unions, public health organizations, labor laws, management structure of companies and human resources management intervene in the conditions that make people healthy through individual life choices, and social and community networks, as well as general socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental conditions” (Hagedorn, Paras, Greenwich, & Hagopian, 2016, p.g 990).

Godard, J. (2010). What is best for workers? The implications of workplace and human resource management practices revisited. Industrial Relations: A Journal Of Economy & Society, 49(3), 466-488. doi:10.1111/j.1468-232X.2010.00610.x

Hagedorn, J., Paras, C. A., Greenwich, H., & Hagopian, A. (2016). The Role of Labor Unions in Creating Working Conditions That Promote Public Health. American Journal Of Public Health, 106(6), 989-995. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2016.303138

Korgen, K. O., Korgen, J. O., & Giraffe, V. (2015). Social issues in the workplace (2nd ed.) [Electronic version]. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/

SHAFEEK, H. (2016). THE IMPACT OF HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN SMES. Annals Of The Faculty Of Engineering Hunedoara – International Journal Of Engineering, 14(4), 91-102.

Pay Equity Overview. (2014). Congressional Digest, 93(5), 3-32.

ÜNAL, A. (2013). Labor Law And Human Resources Management Dimensions Of Stress In Working Life. Paradoks: The Journal Of Economics, Sociology & Politics, 9(1), 26-37.