Course Syllabus Dr. David M. Piper

ILR 613 Fundamentals of Labor Relations

I. COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course will provide students with a general view of Labor/Employment Relations in the United States and abroad. The student will be exposed to the current environment in Labor/Employment Relations, the laws regulating employment practices, the strategies involved in negotiations, and the issues relating to the representation of employees.

The course will consist of lectures, class discussion, assigned projects, and group activities dealing with collective bargaining and industrial relations. Thorough preparation for and participation in each class session is expected. During each class session, students will be required to apply what they have learned in an exercise that will be given during class. These exercises will provide the student with a hands-on experience that will reinforce the subject material. As a result, attendance to each class is crucial.

II. COURSE OBJECTIVES

Students completing this course will be able to:

1. Understand the framework for analyzing collective bargaining and issues influencing employment relations.

2. Rationalize the importance of how the historical evolutions of previous labor relations systems have influenced current day employment relations practices.

3. Understand the global, legal, and ethical environments and situations surrounding employment relations.

4. Use and apply effective tactics that will address strategies and structures involved in collective bargaining, union organizing, representing workers, dispute resolution processes and administering the employment relationship.

5. Understand employment terms, contract terms and employment outcomes.

6. Understand the influence international labor movements may have on future labor policies and employment relations in the United States.

7. Research issues relating to labor/employment relations and develop a compelling presentation that demonstrates the importance of effective employment relations to the organization.

III. REQUIRED TEXT

Katz, H.C. & Kochan, T. A. (2000). An introduction to collective bargaining and industrial relations. 2nd Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin.

ILR Glossary

Other readings as assigned.

IV. EVALUATION METHODS and GRADE BREAKDOWN

Evaluation will be defined as follows;

10% Class participation, including class exercises (Obj 1,2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

5% Current Events -2 Contributions per student (Obj 1, 3, 4, 6)

20% Midterm Exam (Glossary A to M) (Obj 1, 3, 4, 5)

30% Research Paper (20% project 10% Presentation) (Obj 5, 7)

15% Collective Bargaining Project (Obj 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

20% Final Exam (Glossary N to Z) (Obj 1, 3, 4, 5)

Grading will be done by percentiles (A=90-100%, B= 80-89%, etc).

Students will be evaluated for their participation during the 13 instructional class periods. Attendance is not mandatory but students can’t participate if they are not present. If a student has to miss class and notifies the instructor prior to the absence, the student may obtain 1/2 of the participation grade for that day by submitting a one page summary report of the topics discussed during the missed class. The due date for summary reports is the next regularly scheduled class period.

Students will be required to submit current events articles (reports, articles, events) and a one or two paragraph summary describing the event and its relevance to collective bargaining and industrial relations. During the class period, students will be selected to briefly discuss their current event and its importance to the field of collective bargaining and labor relations.

The mid-term and final exams will be in-class assignments that will identify terms, definitions, and situations and will require the student to list the appropriate response. The collective bargaining research project will require the student to pick a specific topic in collective bargaining (current contract negotiations) or industrial relations and write a scholarly paper (position paper) on the chosen topic. The final project (out of class) will be a comprehensive application of knowledge and understanding of the collective bargaining and labor relations process to a designed scenario. Class participation will be based on the preparedness of each student, not only with regards to the assigned material, but also to the observation of collective bargaining and ILR practices in the real world.

The deadline for submitting course requirements is the due date specified on the syllabus. Assignments submitted after the deadline will be accepted but will be penalized one letter grade (10%) except in cases of serious personal illness or injury or other unusual circumstances discussed with the instructor in advance. Except for bona fide emergencies or unusual circumstances requiring arrangements mutually agreed upon between the student and instructor in advance of the due date, no assignment will be accepted for evaluation once graded assignments have been returned to the class.

V. CONSULTATION: [4-C Keith Hall]

Other times by Appointment

E-mail: dpiper@iup.edu

IUP office phone: 724.357.4471 and department Fax: 724.357.1292

VI. COURSE OUTLINE

DATE TOPIC ASSIGNMENTS

Week 1 Introduction Reading Chapter 1, 2

Chapter 1

Week 2 Historical Perspective Current Events

Chapter 2 Reading Chapter 3

Week 3 Legal Regulation of Unions Current Events

Chapter 3 Reading Chapter 4

Week 4 Role of Environment Current Events

Chapter 4 Reading Chapter 5

Week 5 Management Strategies Paper Due

Chapter 5 Current Events

Presentations

Reading Chapter 6

Week 6 Union Strategies Current Events

Chapter 6 Presentations

Reading Chapter 7

Week 7 Union Organizing Current Events

Chapter 7 Presentations

Reading Chapter 8

Week 8 The Negotiation Process Mid-Term (Chapter 1 — 7)

Chapter 8 Glossary (A to M)

Reading Chapter 9

Week 9 Dispute Resolution Current Events

Chapter 9 Presentations

Prep to Negotiate Reading Chapter 10

Week 10 Contract Terms Current Events

Chapter 10 Presentation

Negotiate Reading Chapter 11

Week 11 Employment Relationship Current Events

Chapter 11 Presentations

Negotiate Reading Chapter 12

Week 12 Participatory Process Current Events

Chapter 12 Presentations

Negotiate Reading Chapter 13, 14

Week 13 Public Sectors - International ILR Current Events

Chapter 13, 14 Presentations

Negotiate

Week 14 International ILR - The Future Negotiations Projects Due

Chapter 14, 15 Current Events

Week 15 [last] Final Exam Week Final Exam (Glossary N — Z)

VII. SPECIAL RESOURCE REQUIREMENT

None

VIII. OTHER

The use of cell phones, pagers, text messaging and other digital communication or entertainment devices is discouraged during class times. Thank you.

IX. Bibliography

Katz, H.C. & Kochan, T. A. (2000). An introduction to collective bargaining and industrial relations. 2^nd Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin.

Noe, R. A., Hollenbeck, J. R., Gerhart, B., and Wright, P. M. (2003). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin.