Conflict in Employment Relationship with Reference to the Unitarist, Pluralist and Marxist Perspective

The aim of this assay is to discuss the statement---'Conflict is inherent within the employment relationship' with reference to the Unitarist, Pluralist and Marxist perspective. Firstly, I will give the definitions of employment relations, industrial conflict the three main conflict frames of reference in employment relations. Then I will explain the conflict in the three perspectives individually. Lastly, I will make a simple comparison about the three perspectives.

Dunlop states that the industrial relations system is seen to be 'comprised of certain actors, certain contexts and ideology which bind the industrial relations system together and a body of rules created to govern the actors at the workplace (Blyton Turnbull, 2004, P27). And employment relations is defined as a rule-making process which is concerned with different levels of analysis, with the employment relationship and with substantive and procedural issues both collectively and individually and within union and non-union contexts (Rose, 2004, P8).

As the new empirical lines of enquiry and important theoretical developments, using terms such as employee relations rather than industrial relations because 'Employee relations' encompasses broader fields' focuses on the interaction between employee and employer (Blyton and Peter Turnbull,2004). Generally, there are four main parts that ER is concerned with, which are employment, unemployment and self-employment relationships; the interests of individuals, groups, organizations or the state and how they represent their interests; how individuals manage and promotes their interests within an organization; the management of conflict (Rose, 2004).

Industrial conflict proves itself in strikes and other forms of collective actions which are regarded not only as reflecting pressures within the organization but also and maybe more importantly as stemming from the unequal division society between those who have only their labor to sell (Rose, 2004). So the

References: Paul Blyton and Peter Turnbull (2004) "The theory of employee relations" The Dynamics of Employee Relations (3rd edition) PALGRAVE MACMILLAN Printed in ChinaJohn Gennard and Graham Judge (2002) "Employee Relations Strategies and Policies: Management style" Employee Relations (3rd edition) London: Cromwell Press, Trowbridge, WilrshireEd Rose (2004) "Theoretical Approaches to employment and industrial relations" Employment Relations2nd edition Prentice HallRasmussen & Lamm, (2002) "R&L, Chapter 1: Overview" (The Age), Availablehttp://www.employment.org.nz/R&L,%20chp%201%20(notes).pdf (Assessed 11 Mar. 08)Guy Davidov (2007) "NOTES, DEBATES AND COMMUNICATIONS: The (changing?) idea of labor law" International Labour Review, Vol. 146 (2007), No. 3-4Bray, Deery, Walsh and Waring (2005), "The nature and context of industrial relations", Powerpoint slides online, McGraw-Hill Australla Pty Ltd. (The Age), Availablehttp://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/dl/free/007471550x/226849/ppt_ch01.ppt (Assessed 11 Mar. 08)UAMP (2006) "HRM IIB: The three perspectives of industrial relations and management style of IR" (The Age), Availablehttp://uamp.wits.ac.za/sebs/downloads/2006/hrm_iib__lec_3_2006.ppt#265,9,Unitarism(Assessed 11 Mar. 08)Peter Boxall & John Purcell (2003) "The reality of strategic tensions in HRM: labour motivation" Strategy and human resource management New York PALGRAVE MACMILLANNiels-Erik Wergin (2004) "Introduction to HRM, Lecture 13: Frames of Reference in Employment Relations" (The Age), Availablewww.personal.lse.ac.uk/wergin/Teaching/hrm2004-05/lec13.ppt (Assessed 12 Mar, 08)Arjan Keizer (2008) The Employee Relations, from BSc course Manual, 2007/2008, P8. University of Bradford, school of ManagementBibliographies:Paul Blyton and Peter Turnbull (2004) "The theory of employee relations" The Dynamics of Employee Relations(3rd edition) PALGRAVE MACMILLAN Printed in ChinaSalamon, M. (1992) Industrial Relations: Theory and Practice (2nd Edition). Prentice Hall. John Gennard and Graham Judge (2002) "Employee Relations Strategies and Policies: Management style" Employee Relations (3rd edition) London: Cromwell Press, Trowbridge, WilrshireEd Rose (2004) "Theoretical Approaches to employment and industrial relations" Employment Relations2nd edition Prentice HallRasmussen & Lamm, (2002) "R&L, Chapter 1: Overview" (The Age), Availablehttp://www.employment.org.nz/R&L,%20chp%201%20(notes).pdf (Assessed 11 Mar. 08)Guy Davidov (2007) "NOTES, DEBATES AND COMMUNICATIONS: The (changing?) idea of labor law" International Labour Review, Vol. 146 (2007), No. 3-4Richard Pettinger (1999) "Effective employee relations", London, Biddles Ltd, Guildford and Kings Lynn. Bray, Deery, Walsh and Waring (2005), "The nature and context of industrial relations", Powerpoint slides online, McGraw-Hill Australla Pty Ltd. (The Age), Availablehttp://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/dl/free/007471550x/226849/ppt_ch01.ppt (Assessed 11 Mar. 08)UAMP (2006) "HRM IIB: The three perspectives of industrial relations and management style of IR" (The Age), Availablehttp://uamp.wits.ac.za/sebs/downloads/2006/hrm_iib__lec_3_2006.ppt#265,9,Unitarism(Assessed 11 Mar. 08)Peter Boxall & John Purcell (2003) "The reality of strategic tensions in HRM: labour motivation" Strategy and human resource management New York PALGRAVE MACMILLANNiels-Erik Wergin (2004) "Introduction to HRM, Lecture 13: Frames of Reference in Employment Relations" (The Age), Availablewww.personal.lse.ac.uk/wergin/Teaching/hrm2004-05/lec13.ppt (Assessed 12 Mar, 08)Arjan Keizer (2008) The Employee Relations, from BSc course Manual, 2007/2008, P8. University of Bradford, school of Management