What are the most common challenges when working with unionized employees?

What we miss is the fundamentals..Aspiationality is universal and most HR focus on SO CALLED WHITE COLLAR..We forget front line produces bottom line . We have a huge hierarchy and distancing between value adders and overseeing white collars. Building boss less organization through self managed teams , distributed leadership and inclusion addresses aspiration at bottom of the pyramid. To overcome hierarchies leadership through union is the natural counter balance. ATTEMPT ENABLED EMPOWERMENT at bottom of the pyramid and see the magic..There is no white or blue collars but Career collars as PARTNERS IN PROGRESS.

Unionism is mostly a response to management and the ill treatment of employees. With the above pretext in mind, employees make the mistake of electing those colleagues who are seen as not being afraid of management, usually these are the disrespectful, insubordinate employees. Because it is believed that only they can stand up against the ill treatment by management. Where management is fair and reasonable, even if Unions exist, they are usually small and have no real influence.

When working with unionised employees, it's like playing a team sport. First, really get what the union wants and why. Keep talking openly to build trust. Before you start negotiating, know your stuff well. Try to find solutions that make both sides happy. Make sure your team leaders know how to work well with unions. Be ready to change some things, but also know what you can't budge on. And don't just talk during negotiations – keep the conversation going all the time. This way, you'll play a fair game and everyone wins.

Let Grievance handling be not a management perorogative..Through Human Value Action Teams [HVAT] and using Paramapatha , ( snake and ladder), most grievances become " Peer focused".. We have successfully implemented where ever we seeded SMT or HPT(High performing teams)

The big debate is whether HR represents the interest of management or ALL employees. HR needs to earn the respect and trust of all parties as an honest broker. Being objective and consistent in applying the rules will build the necessary respect for HR practitioners

Queixas s?o sempre aspectos de insatisfa??o no ambiente de trabalho, podem estar relacionadas à lideran?a, cultura da empresa, tratamento dado ao funcionário, falta de cuidado e respeito no tratamento com os funcionários e etc. Precisa-se fazer um bom diagnóstico do que está acontecendo e causando o surgimento das queixas. Líderes precisam ser desenvolvidos na gest?o de pessoas. Líderes e Rh devem ter um olhar mais humanizado nas rela??es de trabalho.

Grievance management works well where the procedures for handling grievances are incorporated in a policy or collective agreement and shared amongst all employees. Usually there must deadlines on by when must all reported grievances be addressed. Parties to the grievances must be engaged simultaneously and their concerns addressed promptly.

When dealing with problems in a workplace with a union, especially in Malaysia, it's best to talk things out with the union leaders. Make sure everyone knows how complaints are supposed to be handled. Don't wait too long to sort things out, be fair, and listen to both sides. Keep track of what's happening with each complaint. If we can't fix it, get someone neutral to help. Teach our bosses how to handle these issues well. After we've sorted it out, ask everyone how it went and what we can do better next time. This helps keep the workplace calm and everyone on good terms.

Na realidade sempre haverá mudan?as. As mudan?as s?o imprevisíveis, incessantes e indesejáveis mas fazem parte da vida das pessoas e das empresas. Diante dos desafios depois da pandemia que mudou a forma e atitude das pessoas na percep??o do trabalho, as inesperadas guerras e mesmo o desafio da inteligência artificial avan?ando , vejo que todos esses fatores criam muito ansiedade nas pessoas. As pessoas est?o mentalmente exaustas de tantas mudan?as acontecendo no mundo sob todos os aspectos

As an HR, the role involves in designing, facilitating, or evaluating change management initiatives and assessing their impact on unionized workers. To successfully manage this complexity, several key considerations should guide this approach: 1. Alignment with Collective Agreement and Union Expectations. 2. Anticipate potential risks and barriers associated with the proposed changes. 3. Acknowledge and manage the emotional responses that changes may evoke. 4. Establish clear metrics to measure the outcomes of the change. 5. Develop a clear and compelling vision for the change, and communicate it effectively to all stakeholders. 6. Anticipate and address any negative effects of the change on employees.

Recognizing employees' diverse roles as citizens, customers, and workers often eludes negotiators. Shifting to a circular economy requires rethinking governance. To be effective in change, labor unions and corporations must consider their impact on individuals and their broader life goals, not just narrow objectives. Effective negotiations demand a broader perspective, viewing employees as integral to the corporate community. Businesses and unions can help individuals achieve their goals as employees, customers, and citizens. Embracing this holistic approach is crucial for the future of labor relations, necessitating meaningful impact dialogues with employees.

A change management roadmap that clearly explains how it will impact each employee gives legitimate outcomes, provided the rationale for change is compelling. In the absence thereof, sabotage or resistance to change will be experienced

It's normal for people to resist change, and this can be especially true in a workplace with a union. When new things come up, there might be extra steps like talking things through with union leaders and making sure changes don't break any rules from past agreements. It's important to keep everyone's trust by being open about what's happening and why. Getting the union involved early can help smooth things out, and giving proper training for any new stuff is key. Being respectful of the work culture and the union's history can also make a big difference in how well the changes are accepted.

In Malaysia, the law prohibits preventing a union from forming, highlighting their significance for workers. From my experience handling union cases in Industrial Relations court, I've observed that both employers and union representatives really need to work harder at getting along instead of conflicting. Regular meetings and training on effective problem resolution can be beneficial. Additionally, educating everyone about the role and functions of unions can dispel much confusion. When everyone views the union as a collaborator rather than an adversary, it becomes easier to resolve issues and improve the workplace for all.

There are 3 different questions above. But the root of them is Management (HR) and Union (Worker - Blue Collar) relation. The core of which can be summarised by understanding trust between the 2 parties. Like Vivek Patwardhan says both parties have to clearly project what they stand for. This will then act as the baseline for further trust building which generally happens by facing tough times together or against each other. Here an element to be considered is longevity, mostly managers change frequently whereas workers stay the same. This leads to resistance to new managers and new ways of working. Any HR person will understand the value of retaining few past practices to give a level of comfort to workers. Goal is productivity & growth

We should not describe union as workers but as partners. The use of the word "working" is the beginning of a discrimination. Everyone are workers and some of them are participating to the improvement of the working conditions by being unionized. Never forget that workers are essential to the well being of a company and supporting them if they are asking for some improvements should always be an open door to discussions.

I feel that unionized employees especially in a blue collar sector create a distinctive "us" and "them" culture. Often to the detriment of themselves. I do believe there is a place for unions in the organisation but shop stewards and union officials often push the envelope just because they can and more often than not they have a hidden agenda. Sometimes that is to make the organisation look bad whilst attempting to make the union look good. If everyone worked in unison toward a common goal then we are more likely to have a win-win in most of the organisational changes. In the end don't we all want the same thing.

? Lidar com as demandas e reivindica??es dos sindicatos, que podem envolver quest?es salariais, benefícios, condi??es de trabalho, seguran?a, saúde, participa??o, entre outras. ? Administrar os conflitos e as greves que podem surgir em decorrência de divergências ou insatisfa??es dos trabalhadores com o empregador. ? Promover a motiva??o e o engajamento dos funcionários sindicalizados, que podem se sentir desvalorizados, desestimulados ou desconfiados em rela??o ao empregador. ? Respeitar a diversidade e a pluralidade de opini?es e interesses dos funcionários sindicalizados, que podem pertencer a diferentes categorias, segmentos, correntes ou tendências dentro do movimento sindical.