Industrial Relations

• Industrial Relations - the relationship between employers and employees in a workplace.

  Trade Union - an organisation of workers who aim to protect the jobs of themselves and their fellow employees

  Shop Steward - the person who is elected by other trade union members chosen to represent the union as a whole
• Industrial Dispute - a disagreement / dispute between an employer and employees due to dismission, refused wage increase, unsafe working conditions., etc.

  Demarcation Dispute - when a worker is being told to do the work of another worker, when it isn't written in their contract.
• Types of Strikes:

  • Official Strike - for this to happen, the trade union organises a secret vote where the members decide if they want to strike or not. If the majority decide to strike, they make the strike official with the ICTU (Irish Congress of Trade Unions) and give the employer a one week notice of the strike.
  • Work to Rule - also known as a 'go-slow', this is where the employees work as normal but don't do overtime and refuse certain tasks that aren't mentioned on their employment contract.