Western New England College

Springfield, MA 01119

School of Business

 

Management 308 – Employee Relations

Course Syllabus – Fall Semester, 2001

Bedford, MA Campus

Chapter Notes:

 

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

 

Chapter Material for October 24 meeting

Please Note: Class Meetings for October 31 AND November 7th are TEAM meetings. You will work with your team members to develop your strategies for the collective bargaining exercise. You should also use this time to work out the solutions for the cost problems contained in the Word document indicated below. The information for the cost problems is contained in the Excel Spreadsheet that was sent to you via email today and is also linked to this page.

1. COST CALCULATION PROBLEMS FOR 10.31 and 11.4

2. EXCEL TEMPLATE FOR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING SIMULATION

 

Course Description:  An introduction to labor-management relations.  Subjects include union organization, union-management relationships, and public regulation of industrial relations.  Analysis of the unionized and union-free work environments is considered in a broader managerial framework.

 

Upon completing this course you should be able to:

 

1.      Explain direct and indirect workplace factors that may lead to union organizing.

2. Explain the elements of the union organizing process.

3. Identify unfair labor practices arising from the union organizing process.

4. Apply and use the concepts associated with the collective bargaining process.

5. Explain the strike mechanism and mediation process arising from impasses within the collective bargaining framework.

6. Apply and use the concepts of the arbitration process.

7. Explain the role of third party neutrals in the labor-management relationship.

The above objectives will be assessed through multiple outcomes assessment metrics including class discussion, problem analysis, quizzes, exams, and a collective bargaining simulation.

Required Text:  The Labor Relations Process, 7th edition.  William H. Holley, Kenneth M. Jennings, and Roger Wolters.  2001, Harcourt College Publishers.

 

Instructor:      Anthony F. Chelte, Ph.D. 

                        Chair & Professor of Management

                        School of Business       

                        Western New England College

                        Email:  achelte@wnec.edu

                        Telephone:        413-782-1553 (office)

                                                508-833-0249 (home)

                                                508-380-1598 (cell)

 

Integrity of Scholarship:  All students are expected to do their own work in accordance with the College’s policy on integrity of scholarship.

 

 

Course Grades:  Grades are determined by the following:

 

1.      Two in-class quizzes @ 20 points each

2.      One in-class examinations @ 30 points each

3.      Team collective bargaining simulation @ 30 points.

 

 

The professor reserves the right to modify this syllabus at any time by announching such change(s) in class.

 

 

Schedule:

 

October 3:       Introduction to materials.  Expectations, requirements discussion, Q&A.  Introductory Quiz of student knowledge.  Distribution of key labor relations terms.

 

Assignment:   Please read the material in chapters 1 and 2.

 


 

October 10:    Presentation and discussion on the labor relations context and the historical framework.

 

Assignment:  Please read chapter 3.  Quiz #1 will be administered on October 17th.

 

 


 

October 17:    Quiz # 1 covering material in chapters 1, 2 and 3.  Presentation and discussion on the legal framework.

 

Assignment:   Please read chapters 4 and 5 for October 24th.

 


 

October 24:    Selection of “labor” and “management” teams for the collective bargaining simulation.   Discussion on roles, and framework for the exercise.

Presentation and discussion on the participants in the labor relations process and union organizing campaigns.

 

Assignment:    Prepare for exam #1 to be administered on October 31st covering chapters 1 through 5 and class discussion material.

 


 

October 31:    Halloween Evening..  Optional Meeting date…  Instructor will be available for Q&A.

 Selection of “labor” and “management” teams for the collective bargaining simulation.   Discussion on roles, and framework for the exercise.

 

Assignment:    Read chapters 6 and 7.

 


 

Nov 7:             Team preparation period for mock negotiations (self-managed)

 

Assignment:  Continue with chapters 6 and 7 in preparation for quiz #2 to be administered on November 14th.

 


 

Nov 14:           Quiz # 2 on chapters 6 and 7.  Discussion and presentation on negotiations and impasse.

 

Assignment:   Read chapters 8, 9 and 10.

 


 

Nov 21:           No class—Thanksgiving

 


 

Nov 28:           Discussion on contract administration, arbitration and employee discipline.

 

Assignment:   Read chapters 11, 12 and 13.

 


 

Dec 5:             Team class meeting for collective bargaining exercise (self-managed)

 

Assignment:    Review chapters 6 through 13 for exam #2 to be administered on December 12th.

 


 

Dec 12:           Examination #1 covering material as announced in class.  Teams continue preparation for collective bargaining exercise.

 

 


 

Dec 20:            Collective bargaining exercise.