This course begins with an overview of unions in the U.S. economy and compares their role to their counterparts in other industrialized countries. Before turning to a discussion of the laws governing union/management relations and the economic impact of unions, the course briefly surveys the history of the U.S. labor movement and how that history has shaped the current regulatory environment. Next, we will examine the National Labor Relations Act. Topics covered in this section of the course are as follows: employer and union unfair labor practices, the processes for organizing and decertifying unions, and the regulation of strikes and lockouts. After discussing how private sector unionism is regulated, we will turn to examine how unionism is regulated in the public sector. In this section of the course we will survey the role played by interest arbitration in some political jurisdictions. Finally, the course will explore the components of the collective bargaining agreement. This part of the course will include an extensive discussion of contract administration, especially on grievance procedures. Even students who do not intend to work in a union environment may find this part of the course helpful for understanding the design of human resource policies in nonunion work places. Prerequisites: PP32300 and PP32400 or equivalent microeconomics coursework.
