Employee Relations: An International Journal

Wooldridge, Ewart

1980 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/eb054955

The Engineering Industry Training Board recently, completed an intensive study on employee relations training for managers. Whilst the main emphasis was on the needs of line managers in the daytoday management of relationships at work, a frequently occurring element in the analysis was the impact of the increased role of the ER specialist. This article summarises the main conclusions of the EITB study, and highlights the implications for ER specialists.

Marsh, Ray

1980 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/eb054956

In many discussions with union officials and labour relations staff the construction industry has often been referred to as a jungle. One contributory factor underlying this description is the fact that the industry is used as an economic regulator by both government and private industry. Construction work revolves around government expenditure and private industrial expansion. It is the handmaiden of both, expanding in boom periods and contracting during periods of economic uncertainty.

Hollman, Robert W.

1980 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/eb054957

A recent article in Employee Relations by Frank Fishwick discussed the high incidence of overtime work in manual occupations in Britain and examined some of the practical difficulties involved in reducing the amount of overtime work. Fishwick concluded that the problem of endemic overtime in British industry is a matter for public concern and that there is no easy solution to this problem. The overtime dilemma is not unique to Britain. Recent data show that 27.3 per cent of all fulltime US workers work overtime about half of these are working one to eight extra hours per week, another third are working 919 extra hours, and the balance are putting in 20 or more overtime hours per week week.

Joyce, Paul; Woods, Adrian

1980 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/eb054958

Despite the wideranging debate on industrial relations in Great Britain, relatively little is known about management attitudes on a number of key issues. Data was collected from 300 managers, mainly top level management in the private, manufacturing sector in London and the South East, using a postal questionnaire. The article begins with a summary of their work situation and educational and social background and then proceeds to an examination of their attitudes. The attitudes are discussed under three headings the nature of relationships in industry, management's role, and their problems. It is reported that there was a widespread belief that management constituted a third party, not allied to either employer or employee.