Industrial Relations

The process of controlling industrial relations involves the use of ethical codes and customs as well as laws. Informal methods are also used when negotiating trade agreements, the terms of trade agreements and the conduct of arbitration. Informal methods refers to ideas about good and bad practices,, and fair and unfair settlement terms. However, for the most part, legislation is the primary controlling factor in industrial relations. The controls have been instituted to protect all parties and specifically to reduce abnormal behavior and practices by employers or unions (Rowan & Northrup, 1968, pp. 529-37).

However, as can be seen by the infiltration of organized crime and the use of racketeering practices, this ideal state is often not possible; and legislation and law enforcement have not been able to stop the use of these practices or the union leaders or crime figures who employ them.

The American Federation of Labor was founded in 1886 and

was the craft-union model of labor organization. The craft unions concern a particular skilled occupation (e.g., carpenters, plumbers, bricklayers). Its goal was to cope with the changing American economy and social environment. The Committee for

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codes and three of the unions were expelled. The AFL-CIO felt that these actions nullified the need for further congressional legislation and fought the additional bills for further regulation of the unions. However, Congress did not agree and over the next few years, a variety of bills were introduced to regulate internal union affairs and management activities in the area of employee relations. One of those bills, the Landrum-Griffin Act, was passed to "'accomplish the objective of a free flow of commerce' and to prevent the distortion and defeat of the policies of the LaborManagement Relations Act, (the Taft-Hartley Act) and the Railway Labor Act" (Estey, Taft, & Wagner, 1964, p. 59). The act includes provisions regulating: union finances, legal recourse against violations of the Bill of Rights; preservation of members' union rights; and reporting. The McClellan-Kefauver hearings in the 1950's revealed extensive organized crime control over a number of labor unions. Even though the hearings revealed racketeering activities and the extensive control organized crime had over several unions and legislation, racketeering continues to flourish as seen by the several days of hearings conducted by the President's Commissio
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Approximate Word count = 3021
Approximate Pages = 12 (250 words per page)

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