Example Of Treadway Tire Company Case Study

Introduction

At the organizational level, almost all employees are eligible to join labor unions. Legally, there is no quorum or type of industry requirement to form an employee union. However, employers can utilize various well-thought strategies to minimize the likelihood that a union will appease employees.
Primarily, organizational unions have wide followership because they promise to make workplace conditions better. Dissatisfaction with management treatment of their employees is such a grievance necessitating union membership. Companies perceived to be unresponsive to employees with poor working conditions; influence most employees to join unions. Employers offering satisfactory working conditions and pay and benefits to their workforce experience minimum interference from union demands.
Managerial and supervisory personnel tactical training; forward-looking organizations educate their administrative staff on the latest trends in union organizing and how they can defend their union-free status legally. In annual retreats, employers can talk sense to employees why the organization can operate without the unions. Emphasizing on policies, practices and culture that make the company a great place to work will go a long way. In the Treadway Tire Co, excerpts from their employee survey suggest that new line foremen didn’t get enough training. They were not in a position to handle unions or manage their workers. The management in an effort to remain union-free should let the employees be aware of their side of the story. It will enable them make educated decisions on how a union in their organization will affect them .
Maintaining optimal dispute resolution mechanism; most noteworthy corporate union campaigns are on a basis of unresolved employee-management conflicts. Efficient and prompt resolution of employee grievances is at the heart of a proactive employer. Conflict resolution systems like open door policy, peer review, and dedicated hotlines intended to address grievances promptly will solicit employees on management commitment to employee welfare. Training of supervision and the human resource personnel on conflict management will eliminate costs associated with unresolved conflicts. They will make the organization more productive and maintain a conducive workplace. Line foremen’s conflicts at the Treadway Tire Co. can be resolved through systematic conflict resolution at the workplace. Their inclusion in the grievance committee and disciplinary decisions could contribute significantly on how they could handle future conflicts .
Conducting frequent employee surveys. Employers with the intent of maintaining a union-free status should be in a position to conduct employee surveys in an effort to identify employee irritants that give rise to union sympathies. In no less frequently than every eighteen months, employers should spearhead confidential interviews with its managers and supervisors. Union-organizations will promote their cause on the ground of giving employees a voice to address their grievances . Unresolved employee grievances will form a basis for union formation. Employers who recognize and address employee concerns in a timely manner retract union’s strongest unifying tool. In the Treadway Tire Co., an employee survey conducted in 2007 and interviews with departing foremen revealed the discontent and highlighted concerns about the line foremen position. Leveraging this information, the company could be able to organize a task force to comprehend proper strategies to revive line-foremen positions. A workforce that trusts the value of their voice in the conduct of employer’s workplace gimmicks is less likely to join unions.

Conclusion

An employer’s intent to maintain a union-free status must adopt strategic employee management mechanisms in order to survive in today’s organizing climate. Proactive employers will form task forces to educate management and supervisory teams about organizing in the business scene. The understanding of employee management best practices will help companies lawfully resist the union wave – properly financed and tuned – from organizing a workforce.

References

Lobel, O. (2006). Sustainable capitalism or ethical transnationalism: Offshore production and economic development. Journal of Asian Economics, 56-62.
Skinner, W., & Beckham, H. (2008). The Treadway Tire Company: Job Dissatisfaction and High Turnover at the Lima Tire Plant. New York: Harvard Business School.