What Is A Single Union Agreement

A form of union recognition developed in the 1980s by the electricians` union EETPU (now part of Unite) in the UK. Trade union agreements are also known as "new style" and "strike-free" agreements and involve the recognition of a single union in exchange for guarantees to avoid conflicts and promote cooperation between management and workers in the workplace. These agreements generally include a set of measures which include, on the one hand, support for employers in the trade union and the provision of facilities for their representatives, as well as commitments on training, participation and uniform status for workers. On the other hand, this may include union acceptance of flexible work, binding arbitration procedures to settle labour disputes, and representation by a works council, which is also supported by non-unionized representatives and can only play an advisory or advisory role. Trade union agreements have been seen by some as the basis for rebuilding UK industrial relations on a more cooperative basis, and recent partnerships between labour and management encompass many of their elements. However, they have sparked controversy in the trade union movement, mainly because the unions have demanded agreements from employers through competitive "beauty contests" and because, in a number of cases, the agreements have led to the decosion of rival unions. This controversy led to the exclusion of the TUC Electricians` Union in the late 1980s. Single Union agreements have not spread widely and are mainly a feature of virgin production sites developed by foreign investors. Notable examples can be found at Nissan, Toshiba, Sony, Panasonic and Pirelli General in South Wales. In some of these companies, there is evidence of low union membership, suggesting a problem of perceived union inefficiency when this form of recognition is adopted. [See no strike and commuter arbitration clause.] 4. It protects all employees.

Proponents of collective bargaining claim that in contracts signed by employers and union representatives, all workers in the company benefit from the terms of the agreement, whether they are union members or not. In addition, it gives employees the right to challenge the policies of the company to which they belong. 9. Unions often offer benefits to married partners. Unwarried national partners have more access to union benefits than those working in non-unionized companies. 82% of unionized workers pay their employer health insurance premiums for their entire family, compared to only 66% in a non-unionized environment. 3. It prevents employees from striking. If there are major problems between workers and employers that are not resolved, it is a popular option for workers to strike. These measures hinder operations and thus paralyze businesses. From: One-Union Agreement in A Dictionary of Human Resource Management » Ultimately, it is consumers who suffer. In collective bargaining, workers do not have to stop working because they have representatives who work for their services.

.