Long-term pay deals: an interim verdict

Article Abstract:

A British survey of labor agreements for 46 bargaining units in 35 manufacturing companies from 1985 to 1987 indicates that the pay raises were about the same, regardless of contract duration. Long-term agreements running for more than 12 months were found to enhance productivity and efficiency, but the costs are slightly higher than the costs of annual agreements. More than two-thirds of the companies surveyed reported that two 'very important' advantages of long-term agreements are stability in industrial relations and stability in cost predictability. Two 'very important' disadvantages of the long-term contract are: employee anticipation and expectation at the end of the contract and higher pay raises than would otherwise have been negotiated. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Analysis, Management, Interpretation and construction, Wages, Wages and salaries, Labor contracts

---

The turbulent birth of British profit sharing

Article Abstract:

One of the first profit sharing programs in England was developed by the South Metropolitan Gas Company (SMGC) in response to labor and union problems in 1889. In early 1889 the Gas Workers and General Labourer's Union was growing quickly and had 20,000 members nationwide. The Union's successful reduction of the workday from 12 to eight hours and the related expenses of hiring additional workers had increased management's monthly labor costs 44%. In an attempt to reduce union power and prevent further work stoppages, SMGC Chmn George Livesey created an initial profit sharing program that restricted members from taking industrial action during their contract period. After an unsuccessful Union strike the profit sharing program was rewritten so that only non-union members were eligible.

History, Labor relations, Profit sharing, South Metropolitan Gas Co.

---

Can unions and productivity ever be compatible?

Article Abstract:

There have been several studies about the effect of trade unions on productivity in the UK during the 1980s. David Metcalf found that trade unions were associated with lower productivity until the late 1970s. A study of 127 manufacturing firms by Nickell, Wadhwani, and Wall indicated that productivity growth of unionized firms increased faster, on average, than non-unionized firms from 1980 to 1984. Confederation of British Industry statistics from mid-1987 to mid-1989 indicated that productivity growth was very rapid in unionized and non-unionized manufacturing firms, but that non-unionized plants experienced faster average overall growth.

Manufacturing industry, Manufacturing industries, Reports, Statistics, Labor unions, Industrial productivity, Confederation of British Industry

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: AT & T's soft sell: the right choice. The sweet role of improvemints
• Abstracts: Landmark telecoms deal. Sintel workers continue to protest. Call Centres in Europe: part one
• Abstracts: Taking the strategic planning initiative. Project management: successful use of PC software. Project management: criteria for good planning
• Abstracts: Mourning, potency, and power in management. Key to the future: the strategic impact of union presidential elections
• Abstracts: National origin discrimination: the next wave of lawsuits. Reduce the costs of sexual harassment. New polygraph test limits

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.