Political Orientations and Its Impact on industrial relations - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1877 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Politics Essay Type Argumentative essay Did you like this example? The following content will evaluate how and to what extent workplace representatives in the current era are important in trade unions. Trade unions are organisations that represent people at work and are principally concerned with protecting its members in the employment relationship. (Salamon. 1987. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Political Orientations and Its Impact on industrial relations" essay for you Create order 81). A trade union consists of a group of workers who come together to organise and represent their interests in order to be more conversant and powerful when it comes down to cooperating with their employers. The trade unions or labour unions originated when groups of workers came together to form an organisation that works towards their well being (Edwards, March, 2003). The significance of the trade unions lie in the fact that they can negotiate wages, rules of hiring, recruitment and firing, working conditions, workplace security and safety policies, employee benefits, compliant processes, promotion policies, retirement benefits, etc. with the employers and the government on behalf of their members (Dine, 2007). The trade unions gain their strength due to the numbers of members who join them. Thus, providing the unions with the power to sometimes dictate terms to employers, governments and other parties and may influence the political, economic and social climate within a coun try (Dine, 2007). The unions also by virtue of their positions exercise power and influence on their members as well as non-members (Edwards, March, 2003). The essay will look at Trade Unions in UK and USA: Political Orientations and Its Impact on the Industrial Relations aims to compare and contrast the political orientation of trade unions of the United kingdom and the United States of America and evaluate their differential impact on the industrial relations systems in both the countries. In an attempt to achieve this aim, this essay looked at the trade unions in the UK and the Labour Unions in the USA and made a comparative analysis of the differences and similarities between the two with regard to their political orientations. And, tried to analyze how these similarities and differences in their political orientations impacted the systems of industrial relations that existed in both the countries. The essay thus aimed at providing explanatory insights into understanding the rel ations that existed between the political orientations of trade / labour unions and the industrial relations systems of a country. The trade unions originated in Europe and spread across of different countries around the world during the industrial revolution (Ebbinghaus and Visser, 2000). The trade unions in the United Kingdom were established as early as 1867 and aimed at improving the socio-economic situation of members of the working class (Ebbinghaus and Visser, 2000). It soon turned into a movement that resulted in the formation of the present day Labour Party in the UK (McIlroy, Fishman and Campbell, April, 2008). With changing times and governments in the country, trade unions saw an upheaval in their power orientation, membership trends and structure (Josselin, January, 2001). What began as a movement by the blue collared industrial workers, are now being supported and participated in by white collared shop workers and office workers in the UK (Poole, 2003). Some of the main trade unions in the UK include the National Union of Mineworkers, the National Union of Agricultural Workers, the Association of Cotton Spinners, the Operative Society of Bricklayers, the Amalgamated Society of Engineers, the National Union of Gasworkers General Labourers, the National Union of Railwaymen and the Transport and General Workers Union, etc (Ebbinghaus and Visser, 2000). These unions are members of larger bodies known as the Trades Union Congress (TUC), the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) (Reid, April, 2005). In the USA, the trade unions are known as the labour unions. These are similar to trade unions in the UK, however comparatively smaller in size of memberships. The Labour Unions in the United States exert its power or influence through its allegiance within the Democratic Party and other like minded organisations (Kochan, Katz and McKersie, 1994). The members belonging to the labour unions include public sector employees such as law-enforcements officers, educators, etc (Kochan, Katz and McKersie, 1994). These unions similar to the unions of the UK aim at improving the working conditions of their members along with negotiations for better wages, working conditions benefits, post retirement benefits, security and safety of workers, etc. Some of the examples of labour union organisations in the USA include the American Federation of Labor, the Workingmans Party, the Industrial Workers of the World, the Knights of Labor, the United Mine Workers, the Congress for Industrial Organisations, etc ((Kochan, Katz and McKersie, 1994). These unions fall under the umbrella of two major labour unions namely: the Change to Win Federation (CtW Federation) and the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organisations (AFL-CIO) (Kochan, Katz and McKersie, 1994). The aims or goals of the trade / labour unions in both the counties and in other parts of the world remain similar and ye t there are differences in the way these unions / organisations are organised, structured, functioned and negotiated their power of influence. Black had suggested that trade unions, however big or small, have the ability to change the politico-socio-economic environment of a country and this is the reason for their power (Black, July, 2005). With the advent of media and worldwide communication systems, these unions are gaining further strength and the ability to influence governments, private business enterprises and the masses (Yates, May, 2009). Hence it is interesting to understand how these organisations exert or apply its power if at all on the political climate of a country and influence the systems of industrial relations. Comparison of Political Orientations of the Trade / Labour Unions The trade unions in the UK and the Labour Unions of the USA share similarities and dissimilarities that impact their political orientations. In the UK, the trade unions find expression in the countrys politics through the Labour Party (Hyman, 2001). In the USA, on the other hand, the labour unions express themselves through the Democratic Party (Hyman, 2001). Weiss had suggested that the governments in countries are generally influenced and limited by the political, economic and welfare organisations with the countries (Weiss, 2004). Trade / labour unions are among the bodies that have the capability to influence the way a government makes policies on different subjects especially those which have the ability to directly or indirectly affect the workers of the country (Weiss, 2004). The free economy of the USA makes it difficult for the policy makers of the country to balance between the demands of the labour unions and those of the corporate enterprises (Frege and Kelly, Novemb er, 2004). In the light of the recent economic recession that hit the country in 2008, the political circles found it difficult to find a mid way between governmental regulations on worker benefits and corporate losses to meet those regulations. In the UK however, trade unions have had a significant influence on the way the economic and social development policies were laid out by the government (Clark, April, 2009). It is only in recent years, when the UK government has started to open up its economy to make it more liberal, have the political orientations of the trade unions lost their strong hold (Armingeon, March, 2006). It is interesting to understand here is that the Labour Party, which has strong ties with the trade unions, is the ruling party in the UK. The social orientation of the trade unions in the UK has resulted in the centre-left orientation of the present ruling party in the country. In the USA on the other hand, the Democratic Party, the ruling party adopts a libera l approach. It however is similarly oriented (centre-left) as the Labour Party of the UK. The question that can be asked at this point is whether the orientations of the ruling parties in the two countries can be attributed to the political orientations of the trade / labour unions in both the countries. With changing times, the memberships of the trade / labour unions have taken a hit (Croucher and Cotton, January, 2009). This has not only impacted their ability to influence but also their own organisational strength (Kubicek, 2004). Both the countries, UK and USA, have liberal economies, making it difficult for the unions in the present day context to completely influence the rules, policies and strategies that govern the markets and consequently the political scenario (Jose, 2002). Thus it can be stated that the political orientations of the trade / labour unions in the two countries have definite influence over the way in which the rules and policies are made by the governments in the two countries and that these impact the industrial relations systems. Impact on the Industrial Relations Systems The strength of the labour / trade unions lay in their ability to negotiate better working terms with the employers and get the governments in different countries to form labour laws that were labour oriented (Kelly and Willman, 2004). In the face of the changing times and the post communist era, the role of the labour / trade unions has started to dwindle (Clark, Delaney and Frost, March, 2003; Wahl, 2004). The question that remains is whether the labour / trade unions and their political orientations still have the ability to impact and influence the industrial relations systems in different countries. In UK, over the recent years, there have been fall in the membership of the trade unions (Crowley and Ost, 2001). One of the most commonly cited reason for this is the inability of these unions to use their political orientations and negotiating powers to benefit the workers (Frege and Kelly, 2003). Similar issues have been identified in the US as well. Studies have shown that t he trade / labour unions are not being able to offer the collective bargaining coverage to all jobs in a country (Kubicek, 2004). This is not only reducing the faith that workers had on the labour / trade unions but also the influence that these unions had on the systems of industrial relations. There have been different causes cited for the diminishing influence and impact of the labour / trade unions in the UK and the USA. Kubicek had found that the labour / trade unions were lacking in a definite labour agenda and resources (Kubicek, 2004). Crowley and Ost had suggested that the trade / labour unions are now merely regarded as the reflection of the former socialist endeavours and thought to no longer function as agents of the worker welfare (Crolwey and Ost, 2001). However, there have been instances where the political orientations of the unions have helped in preventing the government in turning completely capitalistic in its approach in the present day (The Trade Union Movement , New Labour, and Working-Class Politics. Workers Liberty). The economy of the UK and the changing economy of the USA (post the economic debacle) are changing the way the labour / trade unions and their political orientations are impacting the industrial relations systems in both the countries. Thus in conclusion, it can be said that the uncertainties created by the economic conditions in the USA and the UK are impacting the political systems and thereby changing the influence of trade / labour unions and their political orientations. These changes and impacts are being felt in the formal organisational conditions as well as the power of the employers, collective bargaining and industrial relations systems. The final outcomes being exhibited are in the form of democracy and / or oligarchy through competition, opposition, internal bargaining and finally, decentralisation of the decision-making power.

Chemical Weapons - Weapons of Mass Destruction Essay

Chemical Weapons - Weapons of Mass Destruction Chemical weapons and their use is one of the most important issues facing the world today. Not only is the use of such weapons highly controversial, but also the very idea of such weapons of mass destruction being in the hands of dangerous leaders. Next to nuclear weapons they are the most feared, and the prospect of these weapons not only concerns people, but also frightens them. As a result of these fears, America has entered a new war that could bring devastating effects upon our world. It is a very sensitive topic among many countries, and is out of hand primarily because of the introduction of chemical weapons to the world in the First World War. Many people have the same feelings†¦show more content†¦One example is how they were used on our campus in 1999 and this year. These types of chemicals are not the problem though. Chemical weapons such as mustard gas, sarin, and anthrax are becoming increasingly feared. During the first major use of chemical weapons in World Wa r I, there was a death toll of 1.3 million. These deaths were caused single handedly by chemical weapons, and primarily by mustard gas. Tim Cook stated if the war had continued for yet another year it would have indeed been called the First Chemical War (A Short History of Chemical Weapons 21). Before such weapons, soldiers had a better chance of staying alive if they were skilled enough. Following the war, most countries decided that these types of weapons would only be used in special circumstances and not as a main stream military weapon. World War II was a prime example when hardly any chemical weapons were used at all. Although that was the case, both sides still had the ability to release very large amounts of many different chemical weapons. After World War II, the use of chemical weapons by our military was dropped. Most chemical weapons lead to tragedies, not only to humans but also the natural environment. Chemical weapons do not only affect human population but they also effect animals and plants. They can also lead to contamination of water and crops in and around the areas of their use. In some respects they are quite similar toShow MoreRelatedChemical Weapons: Weapons of Mass Destruction Essay1669 Words   |  7 PagesChemical Warfare is not the same as nuclear warfare, or the same as biological warfare. Chemical warfare involves using the deadly properties of chemical substances as weapons.Most weapons used in chemical warfare are considered to beâ€Å"weapons of mass destruction† or, WMDs, and are not considered to be conventional weapons. Chemical warfare does not depend upon explosive force to neutralize targets; it depends on the chemical properties of a chemical agent weaponized. 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Self Exploration Free Essays

Many of us go through life skimming the surface of our identities. That is, we don’t truly dig deeply into our thoughts, feelings, desires and dreams. Part of the problem is that we’re always on the go. We will write a custom essay sample on Self Exploration or any similar topic only for you Order Now When to-do lists keep swelling, self-exploration takes a backseat. How can it not, when we barely find time for self-care? Specifically, self-exploration involves â€Å"taking a look at your own thoughts, feelings, behaviors and motivations and asking why. It’s looking for the roots of who we are — answers to all the questions we have about [ourselves],† according to Ryan Howes, Ph. D, psychologist, writer and professor in Pasadena, California. Having a deeper understanding of ourselves has many benefits. It â€Å"helps people understand and accept who they are and why they do what they do, which improves self-esteem, communication and relationships,† he said. ————————————————- Here, Howes discusses how he helps clients explore their own identities, the potential challenges that can hamper self-exploration and the strategies readers can try at home. The process of exploring yourself is a meticulous one and takes determination and focus to accomplish. It means becoming aware of what’s important to you and understanding yourself, i. e. your values, interests, aptitudes, abilities, strengths and weaknesses. It is also a way to gain knowledge of what is a good fit or match for your personality type. Before you can explore the world of work or a career, you must first understand yourself. Start by asking yourself questions: â€Å"What do I want to do? † â€Å" What are my goals, dreams and ambitions? † Self-exploration is looking inside yourself and concentrating and focusing on you, your needs, and your future†¦not mom’s, dad’s, or your friends. This is not to say that what others have to say isn’t important. On the contrary, hear them out, but ultimately this important decision is yours. After all, you know you better than anyone else, even mom. This process of self-exploration may seem a little lame, but this is the foundation that makes good decisions great! Knowing your strengths and weaknesses can make all the difference! If you take the time to know yourself, or at least evaluate yourself, you will have a truer sense of what’s good for you, or should I say, better for you. Many people never take into consideration whether the career/job they’ve chosen is something that they are going to enjoy doing, whether it’s going to meet their needs professionally and/or personally. Many are just glad to have a job that pays decent wages. Yes, finances are important, but ultimately it’s more important to be happy. If you are not satisfied in your job it will eventually affect your work, your level of commitment to the job, those you work for and even your personal life. If you enjoy what you are doing, believe in it and you know why you chose to do it, you will tend to be more committed to it, better at it, and you’ll work harder to do it well. This commitment, this strong work ethic is what aims us towards achieving greatness. If we are happy, we look towards the future with determination, ambition, and goals. If we are just getting by in our job, could care less about whether we get the job done or even whether we come to work at all, we tend to wallow in our misery. We do more looking back at what could have been or should have been, and can only see the future as more of the same dissatisfaction. Success requires taking an active role in the growth and development of our personal and professional life. One way to get started figuring out who you are and what you want in life is to begin by evaluating your academic exposure. Look at the courses you’ve taken: both the ones’ you liked and disliked. Of the classes you liked, what did you enjoy most about the subject? What made you dislike some of the courses? Why didn’t that class appeal to you? Does the class provide you with something that you can develop into a career? Next, consider what’s really important to you; things you value, interests you may have, skills and abilities you possess. Take some time and think about what you might need in order to be happy and ultimately successful in your job/career. For example, a few things to consider might be salary, geographic location, job autonomy, work hours, and professional growth opportunities, to name a few. Which ones of these, and/or others, are most significant; things that would make an obvious difference in whether we would enjoy our job/career? If you don’t take the time to consider who you are and what you want, you won’t know what you are looking for. You need to be aware that no job/career is going to be perfect and meet all of your expectations. But if you at least think about which things are more vital to your happiness and aim for those, you can come pretty close to what you want. Think about the skills and abilities you may have that you would like to utilize in your chosen profession (i. e. leadership, helping others, mathematical ability, creativity, communication, etc. Which careers give you more of an opportunity to express yourself and be yourself? Many people make the mistake of assuming that they can and will do just about anything for the right amount of money. Well let me assure you that this is only partially true. In the beginning, the money may seem like enough to sustain your job satisfaction and happiness, but soon everyone realizes that money alone is only a temporary fix. If you donâ₠¬â„¢t really like what you are doing, or like where you work, you won’t be happy and the money won’t ever be enough. Another way to assess your interests might be to consider careers that you may have already been exposed to through friends, family members or previous part-time and summer jobs, and even volunteer opportunities or internships. Talk to any persons you can find who may be doing something you think that you want to do, or have thought about doing. Really pick their brains about why they chose that profession, what do they like or dislike about their jobs, what’s a typical day like on the job for them? This is called informational interviewing. Also, draw from your own experiences about what it may be like to work full-time. What kind of supervisor would you prefer; do you prefer flexible or set work hours; do you like being in a leadership role, etc.? The best way to answer some of these questions is through an internship or co-op. If you have not considered an internship or co-op before, please do. Cooperative education and internships add meaning to the academic experience. Both offer the student the opportunity to gain practical experience. At the same time students can identify career interests and goals and relate them to academic endeavors. Most people believe that you don’t need to be concerned about figuring out who you are and what you want to do until you’re just about ready to graduate. Yes, this is one way to do it, but why wait until the last minute. You may realize that what you thought you wanted to do really doesn’t appeal to you at all. Self-exploration should be done early and often, as early as your junior year in high school, and at least once a year thereafter. The sooner you start to think about your future, the better prepared you’ll be for it. If you didn’t go this route, it’s still not too late to catch up. Find a career counselor on your campus and get started. There is often a certain amount of fear that goes along with making decisions about one’s future. D. J. Parson, an Appalachian State University sophomore, stated, â€Å"When I first arrived, I didn’t have any idea how to get started choosing a major, not to mention what I was going to do with that major when I finished school. After I met with a career counselor and discovered a few things about myself, for example, what motivates me, things started to click and I was able to move forward. D. J. is not alone in his dilemma. As a career counselor, I encounter numerous students who are confused about how to go about making effective career decisions. Many are paralyzed by the mere thought they have to make decisions themselves for the first time. Their parents or someone else has always performed this role and now it’s their turn. Students are generally all over the map when it comes to decision-making. Some students want to do it all, while others aren’t sure they want to do anything. They haven’t found their passion. I once had a student tell me, â€Å" If I can’t figure out exactly what to do, I’ll just stay in school longer; there is always graduate school. † One thing to realize is that figuring out who you are and what you want takes time and a lot of effort on your part. Through examining what you’ve enjoyed doing, what things come easily or naturally to you, what gives you motivation, what peaks your interests etc. , you will begin to put the puzzle pieces together. Bit by bit you will see a pattern developing. Next, realize that you can do just about anything you want and you can do more than one thing; you just can’t do it all at once. If you like lots of things and can’t seem to eliminate any of them, then your task is to select which thing you would like to do first and move on to the next at a later time until you have accomplished all that you want. The most important thing to remember is that nothing is 100 percent guaranteed. Life is about change and career planning and self-exploration are lifelong processes. You don’t just make a decision today and expect that you’ll be completely satisfied with that choice for the rest of your life. You will grow, experience things and meet different people. As society grows and technology develops, so will your interests change, grow and redevelop. Expect it; that’s life! However, this doesn’t mean that the choices you make today are worthless. They too will play an important role in your future. You will be able to draw on these experiences to help you assess yourself later when you want to consider new options, goals, and dreams. Sometimes, the task of putting all the pieces together can be a bit overwhelming and you may need to seek assistance from more experienced and knowledgeable resources. Three sources I recommend are your career counselor, your academic advisor and the Internet. Your career counselor is the most experienced of the three sources. A career counselor will be able to offer you not only his/her expertise through one-on-one counseling and advising, but also many more tools to uncover your true self. Counselors can provide career-specific library resources such as books and videos about certain college majors, careers within those majors, and companies that seek to hire graduates of those majors. In addition, career counselors provide career interest testing such as the Strong Interest Inventory, the Campbell Interest and Skills Survey, the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, the Self Directed Search, and the Kuder Occupational Orientation. There are also computerized career guidance programs such as SIGIPLUS, DISCOVER, and Career Key. All of these indicators help gauge your personality and interests, and compare them with others who are already in the field. A career counselor will then sit down with you and interpret the test results. Looking at the similarities of interests in different fields and types of careers, your career counselor will be able to show you many different options beyond the obvious ones you may have never considered, or even thought existed. Your academic advisor is another important source to consult about college majors and courses, as well as jobs related to the field. An academic advisor can help guide you through your four years of undergraduate study and help you stay focused on the courses needed to fulfill the requirements of your selected major. Lastly, another wonderful resource is the Internet. It can be a bit overwhelming with the amount of information readily available at your fingertips. You can query an occupation on the Internet and end up with hundreds of pages of information to help you better understand that occupation and many others. You can research job openings, internships, co-ops, and even scholarships, grants and loans for college financial assistance, etc. Here are some helpful tips to remember: * Remember to begin your exploration by taking a good look at you. Accept the challenge to understand yourself and to like who you’ve become, or the person you aspire to be. * ————————————————- Ask yourself questions and take the time to find the real answers. Self discovery was a process I thought I had already been through. But when faced with the question, â€Å"Who am I? † it proved to be a lot harder to put into words than one would think. I believe that I have a good sense of who I am, but translating it into words was a struggle for me. I consider myself to be a very concrete thinker. So, the translation of who I am into words tended to come out as cold and rigid. Words like brash, concrete, smart, and loyal seemed like a big â€Å"thud† on paper. At first I thought, am I really that boring and cold? Which then brings to question, is this really who I am? The following is my best attempt to put myself into words. I’m going to attempt to lighten up those rigid words I came up with to describe me and try to explain why I chose these words. Hopefully these explanations will bring life to them. The first word is brash and is defined as â€Å"offensively bold. †    You can either like me or not. I am strong-willed individual who does not take disrespect from anyone. I can defend myself in most situations. I can most often times convince others that I am right. I know how to think critically and make sound decisions when others fail to. I believe the second and third words go together in explanation for me. The second word is concrete and when used as an adjective, is defined as, â€Å"capable of being perceived by the senses; not abstract or imaginary.    The third word is smart and, also, when used as an adjective, is defined as, â€Å"characterized by quickness and ease in learning. †    I have the ability to sort through the â€Å"fluff† and get to the facts so I can make a good decision or form a strong opinion. I can make others question their own opinions or beliefs by flooding them with facts and evidence. In this way I am very persuasive a nd convincing. The final word is loyal. It is used to describe people of â€Å"unwavering in devotion to friend or vow or cause. † When it comes to those I love, I†¦ How to cite Self Exploration, Papers