Unionized employees are workers who have formed a body to agitate for their rights in the workplace. The main goal of a union is to ensure that workers are given realistic targets, good working environment and differences between workers and the employers are resolved fairly. The employer’s goal is to increase production and maximize returns for the organization. This paper discusses the possibility of having a dual commitment in the workplace (Fossum, 2009).
It is possible for an employee to be simultaneously committed to both union and employer goals. This is because as much as the employer sees the union as a threat to attaining organizational goals unions play a critical role in ensuring progressive settlement of disputes between workers and employers (Pindyck & Rubinfeld, 2005). The unions educate workers of their duties, responsibilities, and rights in the organization. This reduces disagreements between workers and employers and encourages respect of contractual obligations.
Unions and employees sit at a round table to discuss contentious clauses of employment contracts. These negotiations avert go-slows that may arise in production due to lack of proper ways of communication. Currently, unions engage employers in interactive bargaining (Fossum, 2009). These sessions allow both parties to resolve conflicts in a way that benefits the employee and the employer. The unions share employees concerns that mainly involve an increase in salaries and improvement of working conditions. On the other hand, employers share critical information like need to improve skills of workers, rescission faced by the company and need for employees commitment to work. Thereafter, union leaders inform employees on the resolutions of their disputes and the reasons behind each resolution. This motivates workers to enhance production so as to increase returns for the employer. Likewise, workers will be committed to the goals of unions because they will withhold labor if the agreements reached in collective bargaining are not implemented (Iverson& Kuruvilla, 1995).
It is possible for workers to be dual committed in the workplace because union’s goals can only be met if unions support employer’s goals and the employer support the union goals. The disagreement between parties can be resolved through renegotiating collective bargaining agreements.
References
Fossum, J. A. (2009). Labor relations, development, structure, process. New York: McGraw-
Hill/lriwn.
Iverson, R. & Kuruvilla, S., (1995). Does Dual Commitment Underlie Company & Union
Commitment? Evidence from Australia, Sweden, and the US, Research and Practice in Human Resource Management, 3(1), 15-38.
Pindyck, R. S., & Rubinfeld, D. L. (2005). Microeconomics. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson
Prentice Hall.
