What is the the Challenges Management?

Unions are at a crossroads. During recent years they have experienced a steady decline in membership, political power and prestige. Nevertheless, unions represent a significant challenge to management and operating manager. Democratic rights of workers and of trade unions, dynamism in environment, compliance with labor laws, and past practices limit managers flexibility. Even when a union is not present, proactive employee relations are needed to assure a productive workforce. And if a company wants to remain nonunion, additional pressures fall on employee relations specialists and operating managers, especially supervisors.

 

 
Whether unions will rebound and reclaim their role as a powerful actor in the economic and political systems of developed  nations is uncertain. It does seem certain, however, that unions will seek innovative approaches to reverse these trends. some examples include efforts to organize nontraditional groups such as while-collar, service, government and professional workers. Other examples include offering new services from charge cards to health-care advice to supplement more traditional collective bargaining efforts and fringe benefits.

At the same time, many managers and union leaders perceive government intervention as a potential threat to the traditional freedoms they have enjoyed. Their common concern arises out of the fear that more government intervention as a potential threat to the traditional freedoms they have enjoyed. Their common concern arises out of the fear that more government laws will control their affairs. And since current laws are enforced by agencies with the power to “make laws” by interpreting existing ones, regulations are bound to grow.

To meet these challenges from increased union innovation and government intrusion into the workplace, management professionals need to be proactive. Organizationally, when unions are present, the HR department is expanded by the addition of a labor relations section. This section allows labor specialists to deal with critical areas such as negotiations and contract administration, while HR professionals attend to their more traditional roles. In fact, HR and labor relations may form two equal divisions within a broader department that typically is called industrial relations.

Operationally the HR section seeks sound employee relations through effective practices. The labor relations section has a complementary role.