Discrimination occurs every day at work, throughout the world. There can be different types of discrimination. According to some examples of (Choudhury, 2003) “There is discrimination every time a worker is shunned or preferred because of the colour of his or her skin, or when a competent woman manager is denied a seat in the boardroom or paid less than a male colleague with equal productivity. There is discrimination every time a pregnancy test is required for a woman to be considered for a job, or when a mineworker is dismissed because of perceived or actual HIV/AIDS status. And there is discrimination every time a business licence is denied to an entrepreneur because of his or her religion, or when a woman is required to obtain the approval of her spouse to get a bank loan”. There are many different types of discriminations at a workplace, some of them written above. As stated it is proven that these kinds of conflicts in workplace are of serious matter for the whole environment of an organisation or company.
As earlier discussed, there are different types of conflicts. How can the conflicts be solved in the employment relations?
Solving conflicts can be expensive and time-consuming for companies. Companies usually pay thousands of dollars in lawyer's fees. However, some companies have been able to cut the costs when handling conflicts. The amount they save lies in their use of integrated conflict management systems (Lewis & Sacks, 2001). Pay attention to conflict signals, if not the conflict is just being escalated. If you have an issue with your colleague or employer, deal directly with that person. There is no point telling everyone how right you are and how wrong the other person is. It is better to deal with the person in question. Listen to the other person, and allow him/her to speak without interrupting them. Even though you have another point of view of the issue, try to understand the other side (Haas, 2001). Trying to focus on these cases, it can provide a better work environment. There are several other matters to think of, for solving different types of conflicts. This paper will not go further in this case of matter.
Giving employees the wages they want, will not alone satisfy them. Workers want more than money, they want be valued and appreciated within their organization (Laabs, 1998). It is not always dollars that provides happy employees. Being recognised and having a sense of purpose and importance means a lot to people (Haas, 2001). Even though, wages are still a critical matter for the employees. People still want high wages and a fat pay check (Laabs, 1998). Managers obviously prefer profit maximization through minimization of labour costs, and to increase the intensity of work effort by the employee in the firm (Barbara & Grahan, 2000). The outcome of this constant argue between employees and employers, considering economic matters in the employment relationship. Is that employers want high work intensity at the workplace, and that the firm or organisation would like to gain high profit in the market they are targeting to. Employees on the other hand prefer high wages and a good and safe work environment. As well as their work performance are being appreciated by the managers.
Why does employee join together as one identity, to confront and negotiate with the employers?
According to (Barbara & Grahan, 2000) employees join together because individuals have less power dealing with employers than a group of more people. If many individuals have collective interests, they have a much bigger influence if they come together as a group, towards the employers. Trade unions (a group of workers sharing the same interests in the workplace) are to protect the employees interests like better wages, hours of work and conditions at work. The primary goal for the unions is to protect the economic conditions for the employees, and to advance their wages.
As stated earlier in the essay, wages and money are still main interests for the employees. (Barbara & Grahan, 2000) also state that a method for unions to achieve their objectives is direct negotiation or collective bargaining with employers. As mentioned it is evidenced that conflicts emerged from wage issues, employees can come better out of a negotiation with employers as a group than standing alone. Instead of individuals telling the management in the organisation that they reject to work, because of a conflict between the two parties. Collective bargaining is more effective, because the conflict can end up with that employers are being forced to the other party to concede and accept their view. “Still employees refusal of perform work duties is a fundamental breach of a common law employment contract”. There is actually no common law that sais it is allowed to go out striking.
Whistle blowing is another conflict field that can spring up in the employment relations. According to (Massengill & Peterson, 1989) whistle blowing occurs when employees in an organisation speak out to the public about sensitive information that’s expected to be kept silent and confidential within the organisation. The employers have no protection against whistleblowers, and what kind of information the employees are able to lack out to the public. (Massengil & Peterson, 1989) also suggest that even though every employer has made company policies for their business, public employees have the possibility for seeking redress for retaliation. In contrast, the First Amendment gives the employee the right of using free speech as a cause of action towards whistle blowing.
In conclusion, this essay has focused and addresses the issue of whether conflict is inevitable in the employment relationship. The sheet has had an angle of a unitarist point of view, because as written, conflicts occur from time to time in every organisation or company. The sheet has provided information about conflicts internal conflicts in an organisations and ways to handle them. The essay has also debated whether or not if wages and high paychecks is the only matter for the employee, regarding to have a good work environment. Furthermore the essay takes part in which way unions can contribute to face the employer and conflicts together as a group. Finally this paper focuses on the whistle blowers, and what kind of conflicts that can merge from this field.
References:
Haas, T, D (2001) “Conflict? What an opportunity!”, Journal of ProQuest, 50
Choudhury, R, R (2003) “Equality in the workplace”, Journal of ProQuest, 1
Ramsey, R, D (2003) “Peacekeeping in the workplace: How to handle personality clashes among employees”, Journal of ProQuest, 14
Laabs, J (1998) “Satisfy them with more money”, Journal of ProQuest, 40
Davidson, P and Griffin, R, W (2000) “Management – Australia in a Global Context”, J.Wiley and Sons Australia, Ltd, Sydney.
Barbara and Grahan (2000) “Social Welfare and Labour Market Regulation”, Journal of ProQuest, 38
Lewis, A and Sacks, M (2001) “Turning disputes to corporate advantage Arguments between staff can result in costly litigation. However, Michael Sacks and Andy Lewis believe a resolution system can turn conflict into a potentially creative force”, Journal of ProQuest, 02
Massengil, D and Petersen, D, J (1989) “Protected activity or not?”, Journal of ProQuest, 49
