Mitchell’s Musings 8-29-16: Not Persuasive

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Mitchell’s Musings 8-29-16: Not Persuasive Daniel J.B. Mitchell When LERA, the Labor and Employment Relations Association, changed its name from the Industrial Relations Research Association (IRRA), it was attempting to be more modern in its terminology. Perhaps “industrial” suggested only blue-collar sectors such as manufacturing. Moreover, the terms “labor relations” and “industrial relations” tended in the past to mean only union-management relations and not relations in the much larger nonunion sector. Still, in looking for a new name, the Association did not adopt the contemporary “human resources” terminology. Human resources as a phrase – whatever it might mean to those folks who have those words in their job titles (e.g., VP of Human Resources) – doesn’t suggest a relationship. Steel is a resource. Money is a resource. But you don’t have a relationship with either of those “resources.” In particular, there is no need to be persuasive with regard to steel or money; you use them as you see fit without worrying about how they might feel or react. It is true that the IRRA, now LERA, developed at a time (the late 1940s) when unions were in a period of ascendency. And it is also true that LERA remains linked to the world of collective bargaining in its structure and interests. However, the idea of a relationship that needed to be studied was always strong. The union sector has in fact two levels of relationships. There is the standard employer/employee relationship with the usual hierarchy of boss/subordinate. But that interpersonal relationship is mediated by the employer-union relationship. Much of the work of the Association was (is) about the complexity of the dual relationships and their interactions. When the general public thinks about unions, it is often in the context of conflict (strikes). But a good deal of the research of the Association had to do (has to do) with avoiding or reducing conflict. The study of arbitration and mediation, or just case study comparisons between amicable and hostile relationships, are all examples of such research.

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Mitchell’s Musings 8-29-16: Not Persuasive by Daniel J.B. Mitchell - Issuu