Labor Relations

Exactly how political, economic, and workforce changes affect employers and unions will be factors in the future of the labor–management relationship. Employers and HR professionals still need to understand the system of laws, regulations, court decisions, and administrative rulings related to the nature of unions. This is important because unions remain a strong alternative for employees in the event of poor HR practices. A union is a formal association of workers that promotes the interests of its members through collective action. Once unionization occurs, the ability of the union to foster commitment from members and to remain as their bargaining agent depends on how well the union succeeds in providing the services that its members want, which can further strengthen or weaken workers’ perceptions of unions. To some extent, unions may be victims of their own successes. Unions in the United States have historically emphasized helping workers obtain higher wages and benefits, shorter working h