Industrial Relations-Labour Laws

No, I do not believe an employer is required to have a bulletin board. My company does not have a bulletin board; with the use of technology such as email and intranet websites, a traditional bulletin board is not needed.

Slavery represents an important part of Jamaican history and the cultivated dominant atmosphere. For one, plantations highly depended on slave labor to maximize profit margins. Between 1655 and 1808 one million slaves were forcefully brought to Jamaica (Waters, 1985: 21-23). Persaud (2001: 72) suggests, “the plantation system, the totality of institutional arrangements surrounding the production and marketing of plantation crops, has seriously affected society in Jamaica”. In other words, the slave mode of production was a crucial factor in the establishment of Jamaica’s structural society. “Jamaica’s class structure today reflects its history as a colonial plantation society and its beginnings of industrial development

The first legislation to try and weaken TU’s was the 1980 Employment Act which was targeting secondary boycotting and picketing. The Government wanted to limit the scale and scope of these activities, to individuals who were

Gómez-Mejía, L. R., Balkin, D. B., & Cardy, R. L. (2016). Managing human resources (7th ed.). Harlow: Pearson.

Throughout American history, labor unions have served to facilitate mediation between workers and employers. Workers seek to negotiate with employers for more control over their labor and its fruits. “A labor union can best be defined as an organization that exists for the purpose of representing its members to their employers regarding wages and terms and conditions of employment” (Hunter). Labor unions’ principal objectives are to increase wages, shorten work days, achieve greater benefits, and improve working conditions. Despite these goals, the early years of union formation were characterized by difficulties (Hunter).

To start off with, one of the main events that involved slavery during the Antebellum period would be through increased production of cotton. As a result of Eli Whitney’s cotton gin, as well as other sewing machines, there was an increase demand of cotton export from the South to England. In order to keep up with this high demand, farmers bought large areas of land for a surprisingly small amount of money. However, the increase in land called for an increase in slave labor to harvest and cultivate the crop. Slave labor was a resource that plantation owners and Southerners relied on, because the slaves could not quit due to them having a fixed number of years, as well as slaves not being allowed to demand higher wages. This slave labor, in addition

As the profitability of the colonists’ agricultural enterprises quickly rose, it was essential to procure a sufficient number of workers since labor shortages were a constant headache.7 Enslavement of the Indigenous Peoples had become steadily more problematic and by the 1750’s this practice had ceased altogether.8 European workers were both expensive and tended to leave their employers to start plantations of their own, or to return home. Therefore, a more reliable source of economically viable labor became a necessity, and that baleful need coincided with the rise of the Trans- Atlantic Slave Trade from Africa.

Employers initially resisted unions as they were seen as a ‘tool of worker power’, and some countries even banned the groups all together (Baoill 2011). Although these restraints have been lifted, restrictions and guidelines have been put in place by government bodies to govern union activity; and employees internationally have the right to form unions (Baoill 2011).

Q1 – Understand the purpose of employment regulation and the way it is enforced in practice.

1. Martin, M., Whiting, F. & Jackson, T. (2010) Human Resource Practice. 5th Edition. London: CIPD.

     The people of Jamaica have no influence on the daily economic decisions that affect their lives. For almost 25 years, Jamaica has been able to keep a very small percentage of its national revenue because of agencies like the World Bank and IMF. While other big name countries continue to grow economically, these

The employment status has always been lying on the heart of the UK labour law. It is the most fundamental jurisdictional point as the status of an individual is very significant for legal and financial reasons. Most importantly the status of an employee will enable one to enjoy the statutory protections rights but not for the independent contractors.

The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) started in July 1935 to protect the rights of employees, rather, they be union or nor-union employees (Pozgar, 2012). The employees are protected under the Act or may employ in bubble-like, rigorous goings-on in situations other than the customary union organizations and cooperative bargaining. The National Labor Relations Board regulates the employers from interfering with the rights of the employees to implement or organize and join with a groups that offers assists with collective bargaining purposes like organization union or joining one (Pozgar, 2012). The employer may not restrain, coerce or stop employees

to these limited industries, most citizens of Jamaica are of the working class and this

     Things changed with the British Parliament’s abolishment of the slave trade in 1833. Freed slaves became independent farmers or employees of surviving sugar plantations. The government also changed from an elected British assembly to a governor–controlled crown colony enacted in 1866 and run for 75 years. During this political change, sugar industry slowed and the emergence of the banana industry became Jamaica’s main export (Encyclopedia Americana, 2001, P 673). Jamaica formed a two party system in its changes. The People’s National Party (PNP) and Jamaican Labor Party (JLP) would alternate rule for the 40 years. In 1953, Jamaica inaugurated a ministerial system of government. Within this system the Federation of the West Indies was created in 1958, with Jamaica as its largest member. Jamaica’s true independence came four years later with its withdrawal from the federation.