Action Taken By Trade Unions

INDUSTRIAL ACTION THAT CAN BE TAKEN BY UNIONS

The majority of worker-to-manager and therefore union-to-employer problems are worked out peacefully through negotiation. However occasionally an issues arises where no agreement or solution can be reached. This is when a trade union may conduct some form of industrial action in order to force the employer to back down.

There are several different types of industrial action that could be taken:

Strike – Workers select a day(s) on which they will not come into work.

Work to rule – Workers apply the firm’s rules and procedures to the ‘letter’ with the objective of slowing down production. For example a machine worker may be told to ensure his machine is clean and safe before starting work and so he will be deliberately nit-picking and spend hours doing exactly this.

Go slow – Employees carry on working but at the minimum pace possible in order to slow down production but avoid disciplinary action.

Picketing – Workers may stand at the entrance to the employer’s factory or place of work and demonstrate with banners or slogans.

Overtime ban – Workers simply refuse to work overtime as they are not obliged to. This can prevent a firm being able to produce quickly enough to meet demand and they may lose orders.