EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS

Dr. Eleni Stavrou-Costea

Employement Relations
Relations between employers and employees. They
include the rights and responsibilities of each group.
Often set through negotiations and collective
agreements.

W.J. Rothwell and H.C. Kazanas, Strategic Human Resources Planning

and Management (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1988), 358.

Industrial
Relations
(Collective)
Negotiations
and
Agreements

Lockout

Useful
terms

Strike

Mediation

Complaint

Arbitration

W.J. Rothwell and H.C. Kazanas, Strategic Human Resources Planning

and Management (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1988), 358-9.

Employment Relations:
The Cyprus (Tripartite) Model
Legislation

Union Position

Employer
Organization
Position
Employment
Contract

Brief Historical Account

1932: First law to recognize the right of employees to

unionize
1941-44: New law on employee protection
Quick and large increase of unionization

1956: Social Security legislation

1960: Constitution the right to strike
1962: Basic Agreement
1965: Law on Unions
1977: Signing of Industrial Relations Code
After 1977: Further union growth, over 80% of employees
are unionized

. , : ,
, (, 1995).

Basic Principles of Industrial Relations Code

(private sector - not legally binding )

Sets the right/freedom to organize

Constitutes collective bargaining as the main way to
set terms of employment

Distinguishes between three sets of matters:

Management Privileges
Matters commonly discussed
Negotiable matters

Basic Principles of Industrial Relations Code(continued)

Introduces procedures to resolve two main types of

labor disputes:
Dispute

in Interests

Direct

negotiations
Mediation
Voluntary arbitration or public investigation or strike
Dispute

in Rights

(existing)

Direct

negotiations
Mediation
Arbitration
. ,
, (, 1996), 11-14.

Employment Relations in the

Public Sector

Same principles as in the private sector

Special procedures in negotiations and dispute

resolution

i.e. the right to organize and strike

i.e. Joint Personnel Committee (:

)

Restrictions on essential services

i.e. armed forces, police, health

Common reasons for trade unionism

Unfair treatment,
in compensation and benefits
in hiring and promotions
on other issues

Disordered or luck of application of regulations at work

Unacceptable work conditions

W.J. Rothwell and H.C. Kazanas, Strategic Human Resources Planning
and Management (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1988), 360.

(un)fair
Treatment

In the outcome

In the process

Possible employee reactions to unfair

treatment
Accept the situation as is
Diverge from ethical behavior
Complain within the organization (i.e. HR)
Complain outside the organization

i.e.

Quit

unions, take legal action

How to reduce chances of unfair treatment

Create a culture of fairness

Institute informal procedures to discourage and punish
unfairness
Institute formal procedures to discourage and to punish
unfairness
Put laws in place (organizational, supra-organizational
levels)

Sexual or Employment Harassment

Unwelcome contact where:

Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or

implicitly a term or condition of an individuals employment
or wellbeing at work,
Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is
used as the basis of employment decisions affecting such
individual, or
Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably
interfering with an individuals work performance or creating
an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.