Employees may choose to unionize for reasons such as pay and benefits or to assure job security in a period of uncertainty.
Amanda Kells
Week 3 The Saga of TrulyGood Hospital
Main Post
Reasons for Unionization
In the case study, The Saga of TrulyGood Hospital employees are displaying signs of job dissatisfaction with negativity about the appraisal process and the annual merit raises awarded and anxiety about layoffs (Laureate Education, Inc., 2012). The desire to increase pay and benefits is a reason employees join unions (Lussier & Hendon, 2018). In the case of TrulyGood Hospital, there is a fear of job instability with recent layoffs (Laureate Education, Inc., 2012); this unstable employment environment is another reason individuals will unionize to protect their jobs from arbitrary disciplinary action (Lussier & Hendon, 2018).
Nurse Manager Response to Unionization Activity
In the case study Joan, the nurse manager notices suspicious activity occurring on work time, which she fails to address in the moment due to immediate managerial responsibilities. This type of activity is considered union solicitation and distribution, and the manager may enforce the organizational policy that prohibits these activities (Sanders & McCutcheon, 2010). Another strategy the nurse manager can employ is sharing their perspective on unions and explaining the company’s position on unionization efforts (Lussier et al., 2018). Third strategy organizations and managers may choose to execute during unionization attempts is to evaluate current pay and benefits and change agreements by collaborating with employees (Lussier et al., 2018). Understanding what employees are requesting and meeting their needs may stop the decision to unionize. However, if left to late, the process of unionizing may already be underway, and the managers’ responsibilities will be to work through the union organizing process.
Human Resources and Unionization
A significant role that human resources (HR) will facilitate is the negotiation process during unionization and future contract ratifications. In 2018, a central Pennsylvanian academic medical center renewed the collective bargaining contract for their nursing staff through contract negotiations.
Planning for a successful negotiation process involves four crucial steps: plan the negotiation, negotiate, postpone, and agreement (Lussier et al., 2018). HR and the union leadership team arranged for six negotiation meetings to work through suggested changes to the existing contract. These meetings took place in a neutral location away from the hospital, and the first two meetings allowed the union to articulate their changes and new requests. The remaining meetings focused on collaboration to agree upon a contract that fulfills both employee and hospital demands. Once both parties agree upon a contract, union members vote to accept its conditions. In the case presented, members did agree to the new contract and operationalized without utilizing all of the negotiation meetings, a strike, or extension of the previous contract.
Summary
Employees may choose to unionize for reasons such as pay and benefits or to assure job security in a period of uncertainty. Managers must be aware of this potential and work through the steps of limiting organizing efforts. However, if unions are elected to represent employees, HR is a valuable resource to organizational leaders in reaching an agreement through the negotiation process.
References
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012). The saga of TrulyGood Hospital. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Lussier, R. N., & Hendon, J. R. (2018). Human resource management: Functions, applications, & skill development (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
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Answer preview Employees may choose to unionize for reasons such as pay and benefits or to assure job security in a period of uncertainty.
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