Paper Example on Unions versus Human Resources

Introduction

Today, workers' rights and security have become a primary concern in the labor market. Additionally, this phenomenon has become evident due to the increased awareness of labor rights by employees functioning in various sectors of the global economy. Moreover, one of the top fundamental right of workers in the United States today is the right to refuse to work in an unsafe working environment. Subsequently, most organizations that recruit personnel have enacted unions and human resource departments in an effort to manage their workers' rights and safety standards. Also, the government has enacted policies aimed at promoting the rights and safety of all staffs working in different departments.

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Roles of Unions, Human Resources Management Personnel, Government Interventions in Addressing Workers' Rights and Safety

Unions have a key role in securing labor protections for employees. Additionally, in this case, unions fight for the rights of workers on matters like safety, health, family/medical leave as well as overtime compensation among others (DeCenzo, Robbins, & Verhulst, 2016). Moreover, though the unions, such rights are enforced by the employer and he/she is mandated to offer his/her employees the stated rights upon an official request. Lastly, unions strive to reduce inequality of workers at the workplace on matters pertaining culture and gender imbalance through ensuring that all persons receive fair compensation and safety measures within the working environment.

The human resource management also plays a crucial role in promoting the employees' rights and safety. Moreover, in numerous organizations, the human resource management departments have a closer access to employees providing functions that ensure that the personnel has a conducive working environment (Kaufman, 2014). In relation to the safety of the employees, most human resources management personnel provide their workers with safety garments like helmets while working. Additionally, the human resources management also addresses the workers' concerns on issues pertaining their safety and wellness in the working environment.

Lastly, the human resources personnel also ensure that all the rights of workers functioning in an organization are well provisioned by the employers to the personnel. Also, this is by ensuring that all employers treat their workers in the right way and by ensuring that the personnel's appeal like maternity or hospital leaves among others are allocated. Ultimately, the United States government has adopted effective interventions of ensuring that the workers' rights and safety are provided by the employers or organizations in the nation.

Additionally, this has been achieved through the development of government legislation by the judiciary aimed at promoting the rights and safety of all employees. Today, the Occupation Safety and Health Act (OSHA) (1970) is the primary United States' labor law governing the occupation of health as well as the safety of staff members. The OSHA act was signed into law by former President Richard Nixon on December 29, 1970 ((Ferguson & Nelson, 2012; Guidotti, Arnold, Lukcso, & Bender, 2012). Furthermore, since then, it has ensured that employers offer their employees a working environment that is free from toxic chemical exposure, excessive noise level, and unsanitary conditions.

Also, the OSHA legislation also offers all the employees in the nation protection against exposure from mechanical dangers as well as stress that could be caused by heat or cold environments. Moreover, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA) is also a legislation that protects the rights and safety of employees in the United States. Additionally, the FSLA protects the health and safety of workers under the age of 18 in the United States (ILO, 2010). Furthermore, the FSLA provides minimum age restrictions, duration of the day that youths should work and the type of jobs that they should perform.

The Department of Labor (DOL) is charged with the responsibility of enforcing the provisions of the FLSA in the United States (Cihon & Castagnera, 2016). Also, the DOL agencies are tasked with the mandate of protecting the safety as well as the health of all workers in the United States (Cihon & Castagnera, 2016). Ultimately, from the analysis, it is evident that unions, human resource management, and government interventions play a primary role of ensuring that the safety and rights of all workers in the United States are safeguarded.

Unique Roles of Unions and Human Resource Management Teams in Different Groups

There are several distinct roles that unions undertake in protecting the rights and safety of employees in different groupings in the United States. Such roles by the unions include collaborating with management in resolving workplace problems related to workers' rights and safety. Additionally, the workers also act as advocates for employees' rights and safety and they also ensure that employers meet their minimum employment obligations to their employees. Lastly, the unions help in addressing the breaches of workplace laws, discrimination laws as well as workplace safety laws. These functions by the unions are executed in all labor market groupings inside organizations.

Contrary, these functions by the unions overlap with the unique roles of human resource team on matters related to staff rights and safety protection. In this case, the unique roles of human resource management include the maintenance of accident books in an organization to manage and address any safety-related issues that could occur in the organization. Also, the human resource management team communicates with organization employees pertaining the management of their rights and safety standards. Lastly, the human resource management team aids in ensuring that there is proper monitoring of employees' rights and safety in all organizations.

Protection of Workers in Modern Workplaces

It is true that workers functioning in modern workplaces are well protected and supported in terms of their employment rights and safety measures in their working environment. Additionally, this is because such employees have access to strong labor unions and efficient human resource management teams that enlighten the employees on their labor rights and security provisions. Furthermore, workers in modern employment are offered sufficient knowledge pertaining the government legislations like the OSHA and FSLA that offers them protection against the factors that may infringe their labor rights and workplace safety. In most cases, such information is availed to the employees when they are signing the employment contracts.

Conclusion

Most organizations that recruit personnel have enacted unions and human resource departments in an effort to manage their workers' rights and safety standards. Also, the government has enacted policies aimed at promoting the rights and safety of all staffs working in different departments. Moreover, unions fight for the rights of workers on matters like safety, health, family/medical leave as well as overtime compensation among others. The human resource management also plays a crucial role in promoting the employees' rights and safety. Additionally, this is because human resource management departments have a closer access to employees providing functions that ensure that the personnel has a conducive working environment. Ultimately, the United States government has adopted effective interventions of ensuring that the workers' rights and safety are provided by the employers or organizations in the nation. Ultimately, some examples of legislations to protect workers' rights and safety enacted by the government include the OSHA and FSLA policies.

References

Cihon, P. J., & Castagnera, J. O. (2016). Employment and Labor Law. New York: Cengage Learning.

DeCenzo, D. A., Robbins, S. P., & Verhulst, S. L. (2016). Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, Binder Ready Version. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Ferguson, M., & Nelson, S. (2012). Aviation Safety: A Balanced Industry Approach. Boston: Cengage Learning.

Guidotti, T. L., Arnold, S. M., Lukcso, D. G., & Bender, J. (2012). Occupational Health Services: A Practical Approach. New York: Routledge.

ILO. (2010). Application of International Labour Standards 2010 (I). Geneva: International Labour Organization.

Kaufman, B. E. (2014). The Development of Human Resource Management Across Nations: Unity and Diversity. Northampton: Edward Elgar Publishing.