Union Avoidance Practices: Differential Effects of Three Stratagies

This paper researches three specific strategies of union avoidance. The strategies researched focus on union avoidance from a non-union workplace as opposed to strategies of avoidance in a pre-existing labormanagement environment. This paper addresses a number of questions regarding the use of union avoidance strategies. First, from a management perspective, what is the true measure of effectiveness of these strategies? A critical aspect to answering whether a union avoidance strategy is successful will be to determine how success will be measured. Second, what is the impact of the use of these strategies on the relationship between an organization and its employees? The research in answering this question comes from a review of literature and secondary empirical evidence. To answer these question appropriately, it is important to establish some background into the current labor relations environment. There have been some significant factors in the past fifty years, which have a direct impact on the current labor relations environment. This paper will then review three specific union avoidance strategies and determine, based on the measurement of success, what is the long term impact of these strategies.