EMPLOYEE RELATIONS

Employee Relations

Employee Relations

The state and management, both, play an equally important role in shaping employment-relations. In fact, much evidence shows that they actually complement each other. Their role, however, has changed significantly overtime. In many cases, these transformations are in response to the changing systems and processes that have resulted due to increased competition and globalization. (Stuart, 2007, 4) It is believed that moves towards high-performance work-systems are encouraging change in employment relations towards the adoption of practices which promote worker flexibility and commitment. According to the European Commission (Oct 2004),'successful economies in the 21st Century will not be possible without a modern system of labor-relations and efficient strategies for managing change proactively'. (DTI, 2002, 6)This is reflected in the concept of social-partnership. The aim of this essay is to examine the strength of the role of the state and employers in a more market-driven system of industrial-relations with reference to social-partnerships by using various examples. In conclusion, evidence shows that there is a new 'advisory and benchmarking' state is evolving based on a soft-market view of industrial relations. Research suggests that partnership constitutes significant development in political terms; however, the real issues lie in the degree to and the way in which employers are following this lead. (Ackers, 1998, 529)While 'social-partnership' has gained recognition and acceptance, the ubiquity of the term 'partnership' has been notable. However, most commentators now seem to agree that it concerns an attempt to shift away from adversarial forms of relationships towards a more co-operative relationship based on high-trust and mutual-gains (Stuart, 2004). In its annual delegate meeting in 1998, USDAW defined social partnership as, 'employers and unions co-operating to improve working conditions and to give employees a greater say in their company' (USDW, 1998). Compared to earlier TUC strategies which promoted reactive and passive accommodation with capital, social-partnership, helps bring forward a strategy that is capable of moving with the times and adjusting to new political changes, and in addition to the various benefits it allows to the employers, it also helps trade unions to play an instrumental role in 'shaping their own destiny' (Ackers and Payne, 1998). However, some commentators remain skeptical and argue that social-partnership has been adopted as an alternative to Thatcherism in order to weaken trade unions. Most importantly, however, critics have argued that as a liberal market economy, the British business structure of corporate governance focuses heavily on short-term performance, thus making it hard to engage in long-term partnerships (Bach 2,002,319)

Even then, the state has put considerable effort to promote partnerships, in particular, and good employment relations, in general.

The state influences industrial-relations, both, directly and indirectly. Directly, through legislations, regulations, dispute resolution and for some, as employer of the public sector. Similarly, indirectly, by providing 'rules of engagement' in workplaces that outline boundaries of acceptability and legitimacy. (Ackers, 1998, 529)

Historically the state has played a minimal role in employment relations, granting preference to collective-bargaining and joint-regulations over legal regulations. This approach, however, was not very effective and resulted ...