Explain the British system of voluntarism and describe the legal restrictions placed on labor-management relations. In what way does the Irish labor relations system differ from that of the British?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Under the British system of voluntarism, collective bargaining is a purely voluntary activity between management and labor. There is no duty to represent, no duty to bargain, and labor contracts are not legally enforceable. Thus, the union must be able to present enough of an economic threat to the employer, through strikes, slowdowns, or other means, to convince the employer that a collective bargaining relationship is in its best interests. Enforcement of contracts follows a similar pattern. There are, however, some legal restrictions. The Trades Disputes Act makes labor unions immune from being sued for breach of contract and for striking. To protect the employer's interests, there are restrictions on secondary boycotts and closed shop agreements. To protect the workers' interests, democratic procedures for electing union officials are mandated. Many unionized workplaces have multiple unions as there is no exclusive representation requirement.
The key difference between labor relations systems in Ireland and Great Britain is that the Irish system incorporates a system of social partnership on top of their system of voluntarism. Social partnership between labor, business, and the government results in a series of peak-level agreements on social and economics issues. Peak-level organizations are the highest national groups representing the public (the government), employees (the major labor federation, ICTU), and employers (the major employers' association, IBEC). These agreements might cover, for example, changes in the tax system, increased employment opportunities, and private sector pay guidelines.