CHAPTER 7 EMPLOYEE RELATIONS

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CHAPTER 7EMPLOYEE RELATIONS
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UNDERSTANDING EMPLOYEE RELATIONS

• Good employee relations involve providing fair
  and consistent treatment to all employees
• To foster good employee relations, managers must
  listen to and understand what employees are
  saying and experiencing

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UNDERSTANDING EMPLOYEE RELATIONS

• Effective employee relations require cooperation
  between managers and employee relations
  representatives
• ERR will try to ensure that company policies and
  procedures are followed and advise both
  supervisors and employees on specific employee
  relations problems

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TRADE UNIONS

• A group of seven or more workers can form a trade
  union
• Application for registration with DG of Trade
  Unions
• The application form must be signed by all
  members
• Send together with the unions constitution
• The important criterion for a union to be
  registered is its intended member

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TRADE UNIONS

• All workers above 16 years have the right to join
  an appropriate union
• Workers between 16 and 21 have lesser rights to
  participate in union activities
• Specified groups of workers are restricted from
  joining trade unions

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TYPES OF UNIONS

• National and regional unions
• In-house unions
• Employers associations

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ROLE OF TRADE UNIONS

• Protect their members right
• Will take action to stop such unfair practices
• Advise members on their right
• Encouraging government to pass legislation
• Introduce policies
• Three-pronged approach
• Individual employers
• National issues
• Individual members

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COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

• The process whereby employers and employees
  negotiate over the terms and conditions on
  employment
• Union is required by law to gain formal
  recognition from the employer before any
  negotiation can be made

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COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

• One of the main functions of trade unions
• The best method of regulating the terms and
  conditions of employment
• Once an agreement is reached between the two
  parties, there will be no discrimination between
  them

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COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

• May be carried out between an individual employer
  and a trade union of employees
• Or between the union of employees and the union
  of employers
• This process is regulated by the Industrial
  Relation Act

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COLLECTIVE AGREEMENTS

• Written agreement between an employer and a trade
  union relating to terms and conditions of
  employment
• Agreement must specify their duration, not less
  than three years
• Must be deposited with Industrial Court
• Most agreements include clauses on wages, working
  hours and other benefits to be given to the
  workers

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INDUSTRIAL ACTION

• Picket
• Strike
• Lockout

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SETTLEMENT OF INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES

• Conciliation
• Arbitration

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EMPLOYMENT LAWS

• Employment Act
• Industrial Relations Act

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DISCIPLINE

• Penalties in a disciplinary system
• Oral warning
• First written warning
• Final written warning
• Suspension without pay
• Suspension of increment
• Demotion or downgrading
• Dismissal

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EMPLOYEE PROBLEMS

• Transfer
• Promotion of employees
• Grievance handling
• Absenteeism of workers

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TERMINATION OF EMPLOYEES CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT

• Role of Industrial Court
• Resignation
• Expiry of fixed-term contract
• Retirement
• Redundancy and retrenchment

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TERMINATION OF EMPLOYEES CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT

• Dismissal of misconduct
• Dismissal for poor performance
• Frustration of contract
• Termination of probationers
• Constructive dismissal

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CHAPTER 8SAFETY AND HEALTH
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ACCIDENTS AT WORK

• Financial costs
• Losses of output
• Lowered morale
• Negative publicity

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TYPES OF ACCIDENTS

• Near miss
• Non-fatal
• Fatal

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CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS

• Technical causes
• Human causes
• Environmental causes

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ENSURING A SAFE WORKPLACE

• Safety policies
• A statement of organizations commitment
• An explanation of whos responsible
• A description of procedures
• Safety programmes
• Commitment from all employees
• Officer in-charge of safety

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ENSURING A SAFE WORKPLACE

• Safety programmes
• Record keeping
• Safety training
• Safety and healthy living campaigns
• Incentive and reward schemes
• Provision of personal protective equipment
• Disciplinary system

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OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT

• Ensure the safety of all employees and any other
  person at the workplace
• Draft and disseminate a safety policy
• Appoint a safety committee
• Appoint a dedicated, qualified safety and health
  officer
• Provide appropriate training, supervision and
  information
• Report serious accidents to DOSH

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SEXUAL HARASSMENT

• An unwanted conduct of a sexual nature having the
  effect of verbal, non-verbal, visual,
  psychological or physical harassment
• Not acceptable behaviour and any employee found
  guilty of such conduct will be punished

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IMPROVING EMPLOYEES HEALTH

• Wellness programmes
• Stress management
• Reducing drug and alcohol related problems

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EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

• Programs designed to help employees whose job
  performance is suffering because of physical,
  mental or emotional problems
• Four steps involve
• Identify troubled employee
• EAP counseling
• Solve the problem
• Depend on the outcome of the treatment