We have two unions in our plant: one is supportive, and the other is against any decisions taken by the management as per the existing acts. My question is, how can an HR person make them realize and maintain a cordial relationship with the union workmen? Seniors, your valuable suggestions/guidance will be highly appreciated.
From India, Pune
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From India, Pune
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This is a challenge. Your challenge is reminiscent of a husband of yesteryears who had two wives, one supportive and another hostile. Due to societal pressure, he could not get rid of the hostile one.
Jokes apart, what your management needs to do is to find out why workers felt the need to approach the union. Workers form or join a union because they know that their collective voice will be heard instead of an individual one. Therefore, you need to make your HR practices so strong that labor unions will become redundant. Immediately, it may not be possible to make the union redundant. It will happen over a period of time. Therefore, if not redundant, find out means to make it dormant. This would mean investing in human resources, developing them, and nurturing them.
The second thing your management needs to do is manipulation. Try to find out how to strengthen a union that is supportive to the management. Is it possible to wean away members from the hostile union? Labor unions are helpful to the union leaders more than union members. Maintaining continuity in union activities is important for their leaders because their sustenance depends on that. Therefore, "manage" the leader of the hostile union, and you will be able to manage the union itself.
All the best!
Regards, Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
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8072Jokes apart, what your management needs to do is to find out why workers felt the need to approach the union. Workers form or join a union because they know that their collective voice will be heard instead of an individual one. Therefore, you need to make your HR practices so strong that labor unions will become redundant. Immediately, it may not be possible to make the union redundant. It will happen over a period of time. Therefore, if not redundant, find out means to make it dormant. This would mean investing in human resources, developing them, and nurturing them.
The second thing your management needs to do is manipulation. Try to find out how to strengthen a union that is supportive to the management. Is it possible to wean away members from the hostile union? Labor unions are helpful to the union leaders more than union members. Maintaining continuity in union activities is important for their leaders because their sustenance depends on that. Therefore, "manage" the leader of the hostile union, and you will be able to manage the union itself.
All the best!
Regards, Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
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