Concepts in Industrial Relations

Industrial relations is a post-industrial revolution term that replaced the expression "master-servant" used to define the relationship between a worker and an employer. Its origins are, as the term indicates, based on the proliferation of large-scale industry from the mid-18th to the mid-19th century. Contemporary industrial relations still refers to the employment relationship and the business unit that manages the employment relations, personnel or human resources. It often includes labor unions as parties to that relationship.

Industrial Relations Versus Employee Relations

Creating a distinction between industrial relations and employee relations is a fundamental concept in this area. Industrial relations generally refers to the laws, duties and employer and labor union obligations in a union work environment. Employee relations typically refers to laws, duties and employer obligations in a nonunion work environment. Industrial relations commonly involves three parties: the employee, employer and the union. With employee relations, just the employee and employer are parties to the working relationship.

Employment Laws Versus Labor Laws

Many HR practitioners and lawyers make the distinction between employment laws and labor laws. Labor laws -- such as the National Labor Relations Act of 1935, the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 and the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 -- are most applicable to industrial relations matters. Employment laws distinguished from labor laws include Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Both types of laws apply to union and nonunion work environments, but in a unionized work environment, labor laws are often more relevant in resolving labor-management issues. Despite the distinction, the terms "labor laws" and "employment laws" may be used interchangeably to refer to all workplace laws and regulations.

Concerted Activity

The National Labor Relations Act protects the rights of union and nonunion employees to engage in or refrain from concerted activity. Concerted activity refers to employees addressing their concerns as a group -- regardless of whether they have union representation -- rather than individually. The act protects the rights of employees who want union representation as well as the rights of employees who would rather handle workplace issues without union representation. The act prohibits employers and labor unions from engaging in misconduct or coercive tactics to influence employees to support management or organized labor.

Collective Bargaining

Collective bargaining is the process that labor unions and employers participate in to negotiate a labor union contract. These contracts also are called collective bargaining agreements. They are negotiated for a finite period, usually two to four years, and intended to be renegotiated upon expiration of the multiyear term. The employer, labor union and employees are bound by the terms and conditions of a labor union contract, which sets out employees' wages, benefits, working conditions and seniority-based matters.