HRM 3422 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Samuel Gompers, Business Unionism, Industrial Unionism

• School: York University
• Department: Human Resources Management
• Course: HRM 3422
• Professor: indira

Document Summary

Prior to unionization, the employment relationship was best described as the master-servant relationship. The master made all the rules employer, The servant, the employee, was required to follow these rules. Employees had limited protection or rights bc the basis of the relationship was common law. Under common law, the employment contract required that employees perform the work and employers pay workers" wages. There was such a power imbalance between workers and employers that employees were coerced into agreeing to employment terms and conditions. It was illegal for workers to quit, for them to bargain collectively or to form a union deemed a conspiracy. Common law still exists today, referred to the law regime for non-union employment. However, employees under common law today have many more rights than 100 years ago. Trainees learn a trade under the supervision of a senior tradesperson. Unions that organized all workers of a trade regardless of industry or workplace.