Industrial Unrest
Meaning of industrial unrest
The term industrial unrest is used to describe activities undertaken by the labor and other working people when they feel grievances and protest against pay or conditions of their employment. Industrial unrest can also be defined as the total range of behaviours and attitudes that express opposition and divergent orientations between industrial owners and managers, on the one hand, and working people and their organisations on the other.
The unrest actions may include strikes, sit-ins, slowdowns or work-to-rule. Historically, riots also took place, such as the action taken by the Luddites during the Industrial Revolution, and other machine-wrecking outbreaks.
Industrial unrest is caused by a clash between employers and employees. Generally, the causes of industrial conflict fall into categories such as working conditions, wage demands, work practices, political disputes and social concerns.
Different forms of unrest
Organised unrest:
- Collective in nature, involves groups of employees or trade unions
- Open (or overt), obvious to all that it is occurring
- takes the form of:
- Strikes
- Lockouts
- Overtime bans, working to rule, restrictions on output
- Political action
-Go slow
- Sit-in
Unorganised unrest:
- Individual in nature, only involves single employees
- Hidden (or covert), not obvious it is occurring
- takes the form of
- Absenteeism
- Labour turnover
- Low productivity
- Acts of indiscipline and sabotage
- Working without enthusiasm
Reasons behind industrial unrest
Management Views
Small number of “militant” shop stewards – abusing their position
- Some workers had other sources of income & not committed to the corporation
- Unofficial disputes – increased significantly
- Overly dependent on third parties to solve I.R. problems
- Lack of consistency in interpretation & implementation of policy.
The term industrial unrest is used to describe activities undertaken by the labor and other working people when they feel grievances and protest against pay or conditions of their employment. Industrial unrest can also be defined as the total range of behaviours and attitudes that express opposition and divergent orientations between industrial owners and managers, on the one hand, and working people and their organisations on the other.
The unrest actions may include strikes, sit-ins, slowdowns or work-to-rule. Historically, riots also took place, such as the action taken by the Luddites during the Industrial Revolution, and other machine-wrecking outbreaks.
Industrial unrest is caused by a clash between employers and employees. Generally, the causes of industrial conflict fall into categories such as working conditions, wage demands, work practices, political disputes and social concerns.
Different forms of unrest
Organised unrest:
- Collective in nature, involves groups of employees or trade unions
- Open (or overt), obvious to all that it is occurring
- takes the form of:
- Strikes
- Lockouts
- Overtime bans, working to rule, restrictions on output
- Political action
-Go slow
- Sit-in
Unorganised unrest:
- Individual in nature, only involves single employees
- Hidden (or covert), not obvious it is occurring
- takes the form of
- Absenteeism
- Labour turnover
- Low productivity
- Acts of indiscipline and sabotage
- Working without enthusiasm
Reasons behind industrial unrest
Management Views
Small number of “militant” shop stewards – abusing their position
- Some workers had other sources of income & not committed to the corporation
- Unofficial disputes – increased significantly
- Overly dependent on third parties to solve I.R. problems
- Lack of consistency in interpretation & implementation of policy.