Week 7- Class-Perfecto

Instructions: Reply to the threads of at least 2 classmates.

Each reply must be at least 450 words.

Each reply must also include a biblical integration and at least 2 peer-reviewed source citations in current APA format in addition to the text.

Trend 1

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Unions have been a necessity in the past to ensure workers were treated fairly, had good working conditions and earned fair wages.  “Many of the rights and benefits that health care employees receive today exist because of the voices and activities of union members” (Pynes and Lombardi, 2011 p.354).  The Department of Labor which was established in 1913 continues to oversee these issues with or without unions.  Their mission is “to foster, promote, and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers, and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights” (Our mission, 2016).

While unions can be helpful they are not always ideal for employers who would like to control their environment without having to negotiate with another organization.  Sometimes there can be multiple unions with in a healthcare organization representing different employees like nurses, physicians and technical staff (Pynes & Lombardi, 2011).  Woodford and Woodford discuss the difficulties of having to negotiate with multiple unions and having “differing rules for leave, work hours, holidays, seniority lists, and wages” (2016, p.198). 

There are steps and strategies a human resource manager can implement to help prevent formation of unions at their organization.  One of the first steps is for the organization to develop a policy regarding unionization.  This can help to discourage the formation of unions especially if the policy includes legitimate reasons on why it would be unnecessary (Gerson, 1998).    Another important factor is for the human resource department to ensure wages and benefits are competitive for employees so they don’t feel they need to negotiate better terms.  A positive working environment is also key.  “Nurses with a negative perception of their work climate are more likely to vote for a union in a representative election than nurses who have a positive perception of the climate” (Pynes & Lombardi, 2011).

Job satisfaction goes beyond wages and benefits.  It is also important to make sure that company rules are enforced uniformly so no one group feels they are being targeted unfairly (Gerson, 1998).  “Examinations, performance appraisals, promotions, and merit pay systems must be administered in an equitable and consistent manner” (Pynes & Lombardi, 2001 p.374).  Pynes and Lombardi also mention the need to provide career development opportunities and make sure employees feel their job is important to the organization (2011).  Allowing employees to participate in some of the decision making processes for their department or organization can also positively affect job satisfaction.

Some other ways organizations can proactively prevent union formation is to provide supervisor training so they can deal with employee’s problems and complaints effectively.  If employees feel their needs are being heard and addressed within the organization they will not feel the need to have another organization such as a union interceding for them.  Torres, a former union official, realized some of the negative factors of unions and mentioned that educating staff on the potential “deceit and distortion” was needed so they could be fully informed before joining (2009, p.55).  He brought up the point that there were three to four billion dollars in potential dues for healthcare unions alone, implying that some unions were only in it to gain some of the due money not really to help the employees (Torres, 2009).

Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters”.  Healthcare organizations have the ability to limit the formation of unions by being proactive in creating a positive working environment.  Keeping employees informed and involved can help foster the positive environment along with providing fair pay and good benefits. (words 606)

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  “Although the number and proportion of unionized workers-private and public-is sharply down, unions remain a powerful force within the workplace and larger political sphere” (Malinowski, Minkler, & Stock, 2015). “The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) permitted employees to organize and join unions for the purposes of collective bargaining” (Pynes & Lombardi, 2011).  “Under this law, employers were required to bargain in good faith with employee unions and could be cited for unfair labor practices if they attempted to interfere with the establishment of such unions” (Pynes & Lombardi, 2011).  A union is usually formed because the employees are not happy with some aspect of their jobs whether it be the wages they receive or the working conditions that they work in. “Labor unions played an important role in fighting for minimum wages, safe working conditions, health insurance, sick leave pay, vacation pay, employer-provided job training and career development opportunities, and retirement pensions” (Pynes & Lombardi, 2011).   Unions have been made to help employees receive better wages and better treatment.  “Many of the rights and benefits that health care employees receive today exist because of the voices and activates of union members” (Pynes & Lombardi, 2011).

            As a human resource manager there are several strategies that an organization can take to help reduce the formation of unions.  Organizations can make sure that there wages and benefits are fair to each of the employees.  They can also offer career advancement and development opportunities to ensure that employee have the potential to advance and earn higher wages based on merit, achievement, and performance.  “Examinations, performance appraisals, promotions, and merit pay systems must be administered in an equitable and consistent manner” (Pynes & Lombardi, 2011).  Organizations must make sure that their employees feel like they are wanted and valued.  “Employees must feel that their job is important and that they are contributing to the mission of the agency” (Pynes & Lombardi, 2011).  Organizations need to ensure that employees have positive and safe work environments.  Organizations also need to make sure that managers/supervisors have the training that they need to help with employees concerns and they need to be trained on how to deal with situations correctly and with ease.  Policies and procedures need to be enforced and followed by all employees and all employees need to feel like they are treated equally. 

Exodus 20:9-11, “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”

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