Industrial Relations Perspective Research Articles

Psychosocial hazards: An overview and industrial relations perspective

The past two decades witnessed rapidly growing interest in psychosocial hazards at work. The paper overviews the state of knowledge of psychosocial hazards, demonstrating they have long existed, are present in virtually all work settings but seem to becoming more prevalent due to changes in work and society over the past four decades. A number of models seeking to explain psychosocial hazards are critically examined. It is argued there a number of superior alternatives to the currently dominant model–the Job Demands Resources (JDR) model–and these models are more closely aligned to areas of interest to industrial relations. It argues that the combination of several models or a new model based on their strengths could provide both a better understanding of the underlying causes of psychosocial hazards and in turn inform more effective interventions. Drawing on the last point the final sections of the paper consider industry, NGO and union interventions to address psychosocial hazards and the evolving regulatory framework. The paper argues for historically informed industrial relations (IR) perspective using superior models to better understand and address psychosocial hazards.

Family Responsibilities and Silence of Rural Migrant Workers in China: The Role of Town-Fellow Organizations

Employee voice in China remains an under-researched topic from an industrial relations perspective. We investigated the relationship between family dependents (children and elderly) and migrant worker silence, with town-fellow organizations as a moderator, based on the data of the 2014 Guangdong Migrant Workers Survey. The findings reveal that migrant workers with dependent children are more likely to keep silent when their labour rights and interests are violated at the workplace, while family responsibilities for dependent elderly family members do not have significant impacts on migrant workers’ silence. In addition, town-fellow organizations weaken the association between family responsibilities for elderly dependents and silence. Our study contributes to the existing literature on employee voice and provides evidence on the role of town-fellow organizations in China as an informal, emerging institutional actor that regulates labour relations through their involvement in dispute resolution.

Industrial relations at centre stage: Efficiency, equity and voice in the governance of global labour standards*

Considering the persistent violation of labour rights, questions arise as to the effectiveness of policy instruments regarding the governance of global labour standards. We adopt an industrial relations perspective to compare three broad categories of policy instruments: state-centred regulation, employer-centred regulation, and transnational industrial relations agreements. To structure our comparison, we adapt Budd and Colvin’s (2014) “Efficiency, Equity and Voice (EEV)” framework for conflict handling to the field of global labour governance. We operationalize the efficiency, equity and voice criteria to examine the outcome of policy instruments and process orientation, their scope and coverage, and the opportunities they provide for worker participation and union building. Our comparison shows that each category of instruments has characteristic strengths and weaknesses, and does not suffice on its own to protect global labour standards adequately. This accounts for why, paradoxically, we observe both a proliferation of policy instruments and the persistent violation of labour rights. More research is required to improve our understanding of how different political instruments could be combined, and we conclude by proposing elementary building blocks that improve the governance of global labour standards along global value chains.

Authoritarian neoliberalism in AKP's Turkey: an industrial relations perspective

AbstractAuthoritarian neoliberal governance of industrial relations is on the rise around the world, displaying remarkable similarities across countries with similar democratic political structures. However, despite a certain degree of resemblance, countries have been following divergent paths rendering each case unique in terms of its experience. This article explains the specific path through which authoritarian neoliberalism was materialised in the governance of Turkey's industrial relations under AKP rule. It is purported that AKP's pursuit of authoritarian neoliberalism in its governance of industrial relations shares certain similarities with the emerging market economies, which have a less democratic political system. However, it is contended that the governance of Turkey's industrial relations under AKP leadership embodies spatially and temporally distinct characteristics integrating long‐established authoritarian institutional structures and practices with neoliberal ideology, powerful political alliances, Islamic values, repressive practices and mounting resistance, thus rendering it a unique form of authoritarian neoliberalism.

Speaking up or staying silent in bullying situations: the significance of management control

AbstractA frequent prescription for providing voice for employees with respect to bullying is a policy supported by a procedural complaint mechanism. Yet research points to a pervasiveness of employee silence in workplaces in situations of workplace bullying. We examine the efficacy of workplace bullying procedures as a voice mechanism for employees in countering bullying and explore the role of management in shaping employee propensity to speak out against bullying utilising procedures. In doing so, we advance knowledge on workplace bullying by using an industrial relations perspective and placing employer control as a conceptual lens. Based on a large survey of nurses in Ireland, the findings demonstrate that managerial actions have significant influence on employees' propensity to utilise bullying procedures. The findings also provide some empirical support for the premise that management seek to use bullying behaviours to constrain employees' contestation of management decision making.

Voices from across the divide: An industrial relations perspective on employee voice

In this commentary we note that there is increasing interest in the topic of employee voice; however, we argue that there has been little effort to broaden our existing conceptualizations of voice, which are artefacts of disparate disciplines. The siloed approach, we argue, applies in particular to the view of voice in the field of organizational behaviour (OB) which dominates much of this special issue. We explain how taking an Industrial Relations (IR) perspective on voice can add value to our understanding by looking at voice as a means to challenge management, or as a vehicle for employee self-determination

Understanding the employment relationship: markets, hierarchies and power

ABSTRACTThe employment relationship is fiercely contested both in theory and practice. This article examines recent theoretical initiatives in economics that have sought to illuminate the nature, specificity, and complexities of the employment relationship. It examines claims by proponents of the new institutional economics (NIE) that they can account for the historical emergence of authority relations and the dominance of hierarchical work organisations without reference to the forces of class power, coercion and labour subordination. The NIE is contrasted with the ‘old’ institutional economics (OIE) and the distinctive insights of an industrial relations perspective. The paper considers in conclusion whether a synthesis of NIE and industrial relations research would achieve a deeper understanding of the institutional forms of wage‐labour in contemporary capitalist economies.

Back to the Future? A Critical Reflection on Neil Kearney’s Mature Systems of Industrial Relations Perspective on the Governance of Outsourced Apparel Supply Chains

Abstract As the auditing model for assuring social compliance in apparel commodity chains is called into question, the global quest continues for institutions, policies and governance structures which can contribute towards the protection of worker rights, the promotion of decent work and an upgrading of working conditions and competencies. One such model, promoted by Neil Kearney, the late General Secretary of the International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers’ Federation, calls for the implementation of mature systems of industrial relations (MSIR) based on trade union recognition, procedural agreements and collective bargaining. This working paper charts the origins of MSIR, deconstructs the approach into its constituent elements and critically assesses these against the backdrop of governance debates in outsourced apparel production. Some conclusions and recommendations are drawn for a future research agenda.

Performance‐related pay in German public services

PurposeThis article seeks to examine the experiences of the recent introduction of performance‐related pay (PRP) in German public services. From an industrial relations perspective, it addresses the question of how different designs of PRP schemes and the circumstances under which PRP is implemented influence its functionality and its acceptance by employees.Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses an analysis of 215 works and establishment agreements, 17 case studies in municipalities of the federal state of North Rhine‐Westphalia (including employee attitude surveys in three cases), and interviews with experts from the employers' federation and the trade union.FindingsIt is shown that – in accordance with the literature – enhancing employee motivation is not the only objective pursued by the collective actors in the introduction of PRP. Different PRP schemes have differing effects: highly selective PRP schemes tend to fail; schemes resembling conventional appraisal systems have little positive effect on motivation and performance, whereas participative systems focusing on the inclusion of employees can offer an opportunity to renegotiate performance objectives in the public services.Practical implicationsFactors such as balancing material interest and social recognition, and strengthening participative elements could be crucial for improving the acceptance and functionality of PRP schemes.Originality/valueThis paper provides first findings on the recent introduction of PRP in the German public sector and contributes to the discussion on the functionality of PRP in public services.

International Labour Regulation:

Can soft regulatory approaches and corporate social responsibility ever be substitute methods for pursuing meaningfully across the globe violations of labour standards? Our analysis shows the limits of country, government, and hard-law based international labour regulation, but also the ambiguities and challenges of soft labour regulation. We introduce an updated model of international labour regulation and create a conceptual framework for analyzing labour regulation. We provide some insights into how regulation has developed over the last decades and discuss some of the challenges it faces. Our assessment of the various regulatory regimes is based on the simple premise of whether they can provide a venue for workers’ rights violations to be redressed. We aim to provide a broad overview and an attempt at generalizing the findings and “lessons learnt” so far from an international and comparative industrial relations perspective.

The Establishment of the European Company: The First Cases from an Industrial Relations Perspective

This article presents the first systematic empirical analysis of all European Companies established at the time of writing, and focuses on industrial relations issues and the negotiated rules of employee involvement in particular. It elaborates on the election procedures, the special negotiation body and the mechanisms of employee information and consultation and board-level representation. Some tentative conclusions consider the likely impact on the development of European industrial relations.

Multinational corporations and industrial relations research: A road less travelled

While there is a large body of academic debate surrounding human resource management issues in multinational corporations (MNCs), industrial relations (IR) issues often fail to receive the same degree of attention. This paper attempts to move the debate forward by critically reviewing some of the key debates surrounding IR in an international context. First, some key themes surrounding the comparison of industrial relations across borders and IR in multinational companies are delineated and defined. Then, the reasons why an international IR (IIR) perspective has been under‐represented in the literature to date are considered. The paper then explores the contribution which an IIR perspective can bring to the study of management practices in MNCs. This is discussed in terms of IIR's potential contribution as an alternative analytical approach and also differences in its substantive coverage. The impact of IR systems on MNC location and relocation decisions, key issues for employees, trade unions and managers of MNCs, is then discussed as an example of the former. The potential for, and evidence of, international collective bargaining as a potential counter‐balance to the power the MNC in the global environment is then considered as an example of a differing area of substantive coverage of IIR. Finally, some avenues for potential study are outlined.

Going Global? The Regulation of Nurse Migration in the UK

AbstractThis article examines the growth of overseas nurse recruitment to the UK and reviews a number of explanations used by migration specialists to explain these developments. It is argued that these approaches provide an incomplete explanation and that an industrial relations perspective enables an integrated understanding of nurse mobility. By highlighting the role of the state in source and destination countries and by placing labour market institutions centre stage, a more adequate account of nurse migration to the UK is developed. Trends in mobility indicate that state policy and employer behaviour have resulted in the internationalization rather than the globalization of the nursing labour market. This facilitates state action to regulate nurse migration, although the results to date using forms of soft regulation have been modest.

An industrial relations perspective on the high-performance paradigm

Recent studies have suggested that various human resource management (HRM) practices are associated with enhanced economic performance in organizations. This research has led to what we call the high-performance paradigm, a belief that firms can improve performance by adopting certain high-performance work practices (HPWP). We apply an industrial relations (IR) perspective to the high-performance paradigm to extend the insights of HRM studies. After identifying how the perspective typically adopted in IR research differs from that used by HRM researchers, we briefly review the literature on HPWPs, identify limitations in the existing research approach, and suggest issues and areas for future research. In general, we suggest that research on HPWPs has made a valuable contribution to the literature. We urge HRM researchers, however, to devote more attention to underlying conflicts at work, focus more explicitly on the implications of new forms of work for workers, and pay greater attention to the role that cultural forces, unions, and governments play in shaping the workplace.

An IR perspective on collective bargaining

In examining collective bargaining, industrial relations (IR) emphasizes a number of things of interest to HR scholars. First, IR adopts a different level of analysis from HR — that of the economy and the broader society — in contrast to HR's primary focus on the employing organization. Second, IR has an understanding of workplace conflict that emphasizes its collective and inherent nature, complementing HR's focus on managing individual conflict for the good of the organization. Finally, IR addresses the value of collective bargaining in promoting democracy and correcting “labor problems” arising from competitive markets, even in situations in which there is excellent personnel management.

Compassion Versus Competitiveness: An Industrial Relations Perspective on the Impact of Globalization on the Standards of Employee Relations Ethics in the United States

This article reviews the globalization process and how it impacts the standards of employee relations ethics in the United States. John Dunlop's industrial relations systems framework is employed to assess how the globalization process has altered the ideology that binds the industrial relations system together and the body of rules created to govern behavior in the workplace and work community. I discuss how globalization has altered the context of industrial relations systems around the world and analyze the consequences of the reduction in significance of the national context to the changing standards of employee relations ethics. I also review the significance of why national differences in the contexts of industrial relations systems relating to the technological characteristics of the workplace, the product and factor markets, and the locus of distribution and power, are disappearing and being integrated rapidly into the global economy. Additionally, the article discusses the role of multinational corporations in the globalization process and why the emerging global industrial relations system is altering the standards of employee relations ethics in the American workplace.

Complements or Substitutes? Taxation, Social Welfare and Labour Market Regulation: An Industrial Relations Perspective on the ‘Five Economists’ Plan

AbstractThe purpose of this paper is to critically appraise the assumptions and proposals put forward in the Five Economists’ plan to change the balance between social welfare, taxation and labour market regulation. The core theme developed here is that the proposal is based on questionable assumptions about the nature of employment relationships and labour market processes. An alternative framework is advanced. Using the Dutch case, it is argued that a more appropriate balance between these policy instruments, which requires an account of the distribution of risk between workers, firms and the state, provides a better theoretical basis on which linkages between taxation, social welfare and labour market regulation can be recast.‘Let me say, at the outset, that you should be sceptical of anyone who suggests that there are any easy solutions. Solutions which most economists would agree could enable a return to “full employment” or very low unemployment, are either socially or politically unacceptable, or we do not know how to Implement them. The best solution is to achieve a large increase in the rate of economic growth.’(Dawkins 1996: 16)

Co-existing Registration and Factionalism in Australian Industrial Unions

Few studies, if any, have sought to examine the problem of co-existing federal and state registration of Australian industrial unions within a broader industrial relations perspective, and more specifically within the context of factionalism. This article seeks to rectify this deficiency. It shows how union factions use the federal system and the legal uncertainties surrounding the notion of corporateness as weapons in their intra-union battles. The first section of the article examines briefly the legal dimension of co-existing registration and the leading decisions of Jumbunna Coal Mines v. Victorian Coal Miners Association, Williams v. Hursey and Moore v. Doyle. The second analyzes more recent cases in the context of factionalism. The third reviews three Federal Court judgments to illustrate the current state of judicial thinking on the issues of corporateness and the interaction of federal and state registration provisions. The final section critically reviews legislative 'solutions' to the problem.

Back to Basics? Industrial Relations and the Enterprise Culture

Argues that the discipline of Industrial Relations has become marginalized, as discussion about business, work and employment has been increasingly dominated by the popular nostrums of “Enterprise Culture”, “Excellence” and “Human Resources Management”. Attempts to restate the “basic case” for a critical industrial relations perspective on unerstanding the employment relationship, notwithstanding important changes in contemporary society and industry. Briefly outlines and criticizes the challenge from popular management. Next, outlines a viable, modern definition of industrial relations. Following this, makes the case for a rigorous social science approach to understanding employment relations. However, the discipline also requires an ethical vision, and the conclusion suggests how this might inform some of the key issues in contemporary industrial relations.

The Rhetoric of Community and the Business of Pleasure: the San Sebastián Waiters' Strike of 1920

SummaryHealth and pleasure resorts constitute a distinctive, numerous and important kind of industrial town. But they, and the service industries which are central to their economies, have hardly been studied from a social conflict and industrial relations perspective. This paper opens out this theme by analysing a strike in the catering trades in San Sebastián, at the time Spain's largest and most prestigious seaside resort, at the height of the holiday season in August. The course of the strike is charted in its economic and political context, and the reasons for its outbreak, and for an ensuing attempt to escalate it into a local general strike, are analysed. Particular attention is paid to the status in the labour market of the camareros or hotel, restaurant and café waiters who withdrew their labour, and to reactions to the strike among local media who were deeply conscious of the importance to San Sebastián's staple industry of sustaining a carefully-constructed image of tranquillity and security. Comparisons are made with British resort experiences in the turbulent years between 1916 and 1921, and further work on this theme is urged, especially for this important period.