Deck 7: Employee Representation: Non-Union

Question 1

The critical perspective of management-initiated employee representation maintains that:

A) it is critical for employers to engage directly with employees, to ensure the success of the organisation.
B) management initiates disingenuous forms of employee representation to give the pretence of providing 'voice' to employees.
C) management becomes interested in representation and participation due to critical events that occur in the external environment.
D) management becomes interested in representation and participation due to critical events that occur in the external environment, and it is critical for employers to engage directly with employees to ensure the success of the organisation.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Direct and indirect forms of representation refer to the level at which employees can have a say within the organisation. The consultative/decision-making dichotomy refers to:

A) the difference between consultation and decision-making.
B) the depth of employee participation and influence.
C) None of the options given here is correct
D) the difference between decisions taken in consultation with unions and those taken without union involvement.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

What is the difference between consultative forms of representation and decision-making forms of representation?

Answer 3

Consultative forms of representation provide employees with information but limit their capacity to actually affect the decision-making process.
Decision-making forms of representation permit employees to not only 'have a say' but to exercise real influence by contributing in a tangible way to decision-making.

Question 4

Explain the term 'empowerment' as applied to employment relations.

Question 5

Explain 'indirect' forms of employee representation.

Question 6

What are the key research findings about the implementation of empowerment programs and practices?

Question 7

What are the main features of the 'representation in response to external conditions' perspective of management-initiated employee representation? Give examples.

Question 8

In Australia, examples of state-sanctioned, non-union forms of representation have included:

A) occupational health and safety committees and non-union collective agreement-making.
B) occupational health and safety committees and works councils.
C) non-union collective agreements and works councils.
D) occupational health and safety committees and award negotiation.

Question 9

Examples of indirect non-union forms of employee representation include:

A) joint consultative committees.
B) employee representation on company boards.
C) works councils.
D) All of the options given here are correct

Question 10

What reason does Legge (1989) identify for the failure to provide employees with meaningful consultation and participation?

Question 11

Examples of direct non-union forms of employee representation include:

A) joint consultative committees and works councils.
B) quality circles and teamwork.
C) internal memos and suggestion boxes.
D) quality circles and teamwork, and internal memos and suggestion boxes.

Question 12

What is 'employee voice'?

Question 13

How did the approach of many Australian organisations towards their employees change in the 1990s?

Question 14

What is the 'representation gap'?

Question 15

What were Australian workplace agreements (AWAs)?

Question 16

Works councils are:

A) organisations that carry out work on public infrastructure.
B) an example of state-sanctioned, non-union employee representation.
C) both organisations that carry out work on public infrastructure and an example of state-sanctioned, non-union employee representation.
D) a common feature of Australian employment relations.

Question 17

Non-union forms of employee representation do not genuinely attempt to involve employees in decision-making but are merely utilised to undermine unions. Discuss.

Question 18

Outline the key argument pursued by employer associations in the 1980s regarding employee representation.

Question 19

What are the main features of the 'representation leads to improved performance' perspective of management-initiated employee representation? Give examples.

Question 20

Explain 'direct' forms of employee representation.

Question 21

What is an example that supports the critical perspective on management-initiated employee representation?

A) 'Cycles of control' theory
B) The theory that corporate culture is engineered to give the illusion of participation
C) 'Socio-technical systems' theory
D) None of the options given here is correct

Question 22

How did the 2005 WorkChoices amendments change the regulation of the individual contracting stream?

Question 23

What are the main theoretical perspectives that explain management-initiated employee representation?

A) The perspective that representation leads to improved performance
B) The perspective that representation in response to external conditions
C) The critical perspective
D) All of the options given here are correct

Question 24

What are the most popular means used by Australian organisations adopting new approaches to employee participation identified by Kramar (1999)? Discuss.

Question 25

Conservative commentators argued that direct employee involvement and indirect forms of non-union representation would ensure employees would enjoy closer and more consultative relationships with managers and more autonomy and empowerment at work. But does the reality in Australian workplaces support this argument? Discuss.