Employee Relations: An International Journal

John Gennard

2010 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/01425451011002725

Purpose – The purpose of this Editorial is to outline the main functions of the UK industrial relations state agencies – the Certification Officer, the Central Arbitration Committee and The Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service. Design/methodology/approach – The Editorial outlines the main functions of the UK industrial relations state agencies, explaining their history and roles. Findings – The Editorial reveals detailed information about the main functions of the UK industrial relations state agencies. Originality/value – The Editorial offers insights into the work of UK industrial relations state agencies.

Yasmin Rittau; Tony Dundon

2010 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/01425451011002734

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the roles and influence of shop stewards under workplace partnership regimes in five case study firms in the Republic of Ireland. It aims to assess the dynamics and potential longevity of partnership relationships. Design/methodology/approach – A framework is utilised which analyses the scope, breadth and depth of union influence in terms of the structure of partnership processes and the capacity of agency to affect relations among shop stewards, union members and plant management. Findings – The findings show that while union representatives view partnership in a positive light, there remain problems as to the longevity of partnership owing to management control and a disconnection between national (government) and local (workplace) support mechanisms for partnership. The paper concludes that social partnership is a process that remains anchored in a relationship of both antagonism and accommodation between capital and labour. Originality/value – Much of the extant literature tends to focus on the outcomes of partnership in terms of the gains or losses to either management and/or unions. In this paper, the focus is on the way the “processes” of social partnership shape the behaviour and roles of workplace union representatives. A number of theoretical and policy implications are discussed.

Jian Qiao

2010 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/01425451011002743

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study the changing perspectives of Chinese trade unions towards labour rights and interest, through exploring the nature of Chinese trade unions from the aspect of shop stewards, or enterprise union cadres. These opinions can explain the nature and orientation of unions towards representation and rights protection for workers. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based on a survey of 1,811 enterprise union chairpersons, which is analysed by variable interaction analysis through statistical package for social sciences. Findings – Enterprise trade unions have realised the importance of labour representation and are willing to undertake actions for labour rights and interests in the companies. Enterprise union cadres tend to change the union for more autonomy and effectiveness in safeguarding collective labour rights at the workplaces. The enterprise union chairpersons have been learning how to use this multiple role of the Chinese trade union for pursuing the rights and interests of their own members. However, for shop stewards, it is essential for their unions to focus on inside‐company issues, rather than allocating energy or attention to outside issues, which are the duty of upper‐level unions. Research limitations/implications – Over half of the survey, companies are either state‐owned enterprises or small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises. This undermines the credibility of this research for explaining the situation in all kinds of companies in China. Meanwhile, the survey collects opinions and judgements from the enterprise union chairpersons, while ignoring those of the company managers and workers. This biased perception can then only present the minds and behaviour orientations of the union at the enterprise level. Originality/value – This paper offers a pioneer study on shop stewards in the Chinese workplace through a large sample survey.

Bakr Ahmad Alserhan; Ingo Forstenlechner; Ahmad Al‐Nakeeb

2010 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/01425451011002752

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine attitudes towards diversity in an emerging Gulf economy whose workforce is dominated by expatriates and is under significant pressure to accommodate host country citizens. It seeks to examine employees' attitudes towards workforce diversity in the banking sector in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Design/methodology/approach – A total of 100 employees from 11 banks are chosen randomly from banks operating in the UAE. Those employees are asked to answer a questionnaire containing various questions that cover the applauded benefits of diversity as identified in the related literature. Findings – All banks have a diverse workforce, with nationals representing a minority in all of them. However, banks differ on the various indicators of diversity with some being more religiously diverse while others more diverse in terms of nationalities or languages. Overall, Islamic banks are the least diverse on all dimensions of diversity. Research limitations/implications – Several obstacles are faced during the course of this study including limitations on access to employees, sampling limitations preventing more in‐depth analysis of certain aspects, lack of regional studies on diversity and the timing of the survey itself which coincide with the summer exodus of expatriates. Originality/value – This paper provides useful information on attitudes toward diversity in an emerging Gulf economy, dominated by expatriates.

Judy Pate; Hugh Scullion

2010 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/01425451011002761

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine whether traditional conventions of the expatriate psychological contract have altered from both employer and employee perspectives. In essence to what extent have multi‐national corporations adjusted organisational practices to reflect changing circumstances and to what extent have expatriates altered their mindset towards employers' obligations and requirements. Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws on findings of three organisational case studies and is based on in‐depth interviews with HR managers, line managers and expatriates. Findings – The findings reveale that the overall tone of the psychological contract from the employers' perspective is transactional. From an employee perspective, preliminary evidence suggests that the dynamics of the employment relationship is changing and that employees have responded to contract changes by seeking to ensure their employability and reduce their dependence on a single organisation. Practical implications – The paper focuses on four areas for managers: first, pro‐actively influencing expatriates' expectations thereby minimising misunderstandings; second, organisations should be very aware of “the remuneration market rate” for a particular location; third, policies of support and contact would aid feelings of integration. Finally, more attention should be paid new approaches to strategic talent management. Originality/value – This paper contributes theoretically and empirically to the literature on expatriates' psychological contracts, an area where there is a dearth of empirical research. The paper also increases the understanding of the variety of expatriate perceptions in different contexts, thereby deepening the understanding of the importance of context in this area.

Robson Sø Rocha

2010 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/01425451011002770

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the research findings of a longitudinal case study of a Brazilian company which changed its work system from a highly Taylorist to a high‐performance work system (HPWS) form of organization. The paper presents the organizational processes linked to these changes and discusses their implications for manager‐worker relations. Design/methodology/approach – Longitudinal qualitative research, based on 89 interviews with 62 informants, and conducted over a period of eight years. Findings – In seeking to implement HPWS, firms need to pool and recombine different sources of expertise to succeed. At this stage, the balance of power between different organizational actors starts to shift towards greater mutual dependence, thus reducing power imbalances. The paper also discusses the gradual development of HPWSs in an emerging market economy. Research limitations/implications – The research is based on a single case study, which limits the potential for generalization, but it also provides a basis for a more detailed study of the challenges faced by organizational actors when firms move towards HPWSs. Practical implications – A key distinguishing characteristic of the new managerial model – the intense and ongoing collaboration with its labor force at different levels that the firm needs – has become essential. Originality/value – There are very few studies in the literature dealing with HPWSs in Brazil and their implications for employee relations.

Mark Harcourt; Helen Lam

2010 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/01425451011002789

Purpose – In light of the low‐union density and a huge representation gap in the US representation system. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of the system under majority rule and to provide some empirical evidence on how much union membership would increase in the USA if a policy of non‐exclusive representation, as adopted in New Zealand, are to be implemented. Design/methodology/approach – The sample for the study consists of 227 New Zealand organizations, employing over 180,000 workers. Logistic regression is used for the analysis with the dichotomous dependent variable indicating whether there is majority union support. Findings – If the USA allowed and supported minority unionism, union membership could increase by 30 percent or more. Workers in smaller, private‐sector organizations outside healthcare, education, and manufacturing are most disadvantaged by the majority‐rule system. Practical implications – Given that many workers' needs for representation have not been addressed by the current US majority rule system, consideration of minority representation to enhance representation effectiveness and understanding its implications are of critical importance, especially for a democratic society. Originality/value – The paper offers empirical data on the implications of a change of the US representation system and proposes three options for incorporating minority representation.