Introducing

Employment

Relations

A critical approach

THIRD EDITION

Steve Williams

OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS

Contents

Acknowledgements ix Guide to key learning features x How to use the Online Resource Centre xii Listoftables xiv Listoffigures xvi Listofboxes xvii List of abbreviations xx Preface: about this book xxiii

PARTI Introducingemployment relations l

1 The natura of employment relations 3 1.1 Introduction 3

Introductory case study: The relevance of employment relations 3 1.2 The employment relationship and employment relations 4 1.3 Employment relations as a'field of study' 11 1.4 Employment relations: actors, processes, outcomes, and contexts 17 1.5 Conolusion: the value of employment relations 29

Assignment and discussion questions 31 Chapter case study: Employment relations in Amazon 31

PART 2 Employment relations in context 33

2 Employment relations in the contemporary economy 35 2.1 Introduction 35

Introductory case study: Agency workers and employment flexibility 36 2.2 Work and employment relations: from the 'new economy' to recession 36 2.3 Employment relations in a global economy 51 2.4 Conclusion 66

Assignment and discussion questions 67 Chapter case study: The effectiveness of voluntary labour codes 67

69 69 69 70 76 82 86

100 101 101

103 103 103 104 109 119 135 136 136

139

141 141 142 142 146 154 166 172 173 174

175 175 175 176

CONTENTS

3 The politics of employment relations 3.1 Introduction

Introductory case study: The European Union's Agency Workers Directive 3.2 Public policy and employment relations 3.3 Labour and employment relations in Britain, 1997-2010 3.4 The coalition government's policy approach in employment relations 3.5 Employment relations and the politics of European Integration 3.6 Conclusion

Assignmentand discussion questions Chapter case study: The Irish Ferries dispute

4 Social divisions and employment relations 4.1 Introduction

Introductory case study: Pregnancy discrimination at work 4.2 Discrimination, disadvantage, and inequality in work and employment relations 4.3 Public policy, anti-discrimination legislation, and equality at work 4.4 Equality and diversity at work 4.5 Conclusion

Assignment and discussion quesitons Chapter case study: Equal pay in local government—unions v lawyers

PART 3 Key issues in contemporary employment relations

5 Managi ng em ployment relations 5.1 Introduction

Introductory case study: Engaging employees at McDonalds 5.2 Managing with trade unions 5.3 Challenging unions 5.4 Sophisticated human resource management and employment relations 5.5 Conceptualizingthe management of employment relations 5.6 Conclusion

Assignment and discussion questions Chapter case study: Blacklisting trade unionists in the construction industry

6 Representation at work 6.1 Introduction

Introductory case study: Organizing workers in a sandwich factory 6.2 Trade unions, worker representation, and the 'representation gap'

CONTENTS

6.3 Non-union forms of employee representation 183 6.4 Cooperative trade unionism and partnership agreements 194 6.5 Organizing unionism 200 6.6 Conclusion 206

Assignment and discussion questions 207 Chapter case study: Community unionism 207

7 Pay determination and employment relations 209 7.1 Introduction 209

Introductory case study: The 'fair tips' campaign 210 7.2 Collective bargaining and pay determination 210 7.3 Unilateral managerial regulationof pay 221 7.4 Regulating low pay 227 7.5 Conclusion 239

Assignment and discussion questions 240 Chapter case study: Campaigning for fair pay in supermarkets 240

8 Workingtime and employment relations 242 8.1 Introduction 242

Introductory case study: Overtime bans on the railways 243 8.2 Working time and employment relations 243 8.3 Workingtime: patterns and trends 245 8.4 Work pressures and work intensification 256 8.5 The legal regulation of working time 262 8.6 Conclusion 267

Assignment and discussion questions 268 Chapter case study: Junior doctors and the Working Time Directive 268

PART 4 Conflict and employment relations 271

9 Labour conflict and employment relations 273 9.1 Introduction 273

Introductory case study: The 2012 pensions strikes at Unilever 274 9.2 The nature and purpose of strikes 274 9.3 Strike trends 277 9.4 The legal regulation of strikes and industrial action 283 9.5 Understanding labour conflict: insights from mobilization theory 286 9.6 Other forms of labour conflict 290

301 301 302

303 303 304 304 311 315 321 331 332 332

335

337

342 345 383

CONTENTS

9.7 Conclusion Assignment and discussion questions Chapter case study: The BA cabin crew dispute 2009-11

10 Resolving labour conflict 10.1 Introduction

Introductory case study: Redundancy compensation forWoolworths ex-staff 10.2 Resolving collective disputes 10.3 Resolving individual disputes: grievance and discipline in employment relations 10.4 Redundancy and employment relations 10.5 The system of employment tribunals 10.6 Conclusion

Assignment and discussion questions Chapter case study: Enforcing employment rights

PART 5 Conclusion

11 Conclusion

Key terms and concepts Bibliography Index