HRM-20018 - Employment Relations
Coordinator: Michael A Pender Tel: +44 1782 7 34469
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 5
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office: 01782 733094

Programme/Approved Electives for 2020/21

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites




Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2020/21

This module addresses the collective aspects of the employment relationship. It is taught through conventional lectures, which will give students a thorough grounding in employment relations, and an insight into the way this is practiced in the majority of Britain's major companies and in the public sector. The module covers the role of the parties to the employment relationship: employers, trade unions and the state. The module focuses on job regulation and the underlying conflict in the employment relationship. This includes forms of conflict management such as collective bargaining, third party institutions and consultation, particularly in relation to the growing importance of collective labour law.
Tutorial work around a case study will allow students to develop their knowledge of one particular employment issue, and to practice and develop negotiating skills as part of a team, either as employers or employees, with the aim of reaching a solution acceptable to all parties.

Aims
This module will allow students to gain an understanding of employment relations in the UK, and in the EU context. Developing knowledge of the nature of the employment relationship, the module covers the structure, role and function of trade unions; employers and employers' associations; and the role of the state and its agencies. The module focuses on job regulation and the underlying conflict in the employment relationship. This includes forms of conflict management such as collective bargaining, third party institutions and consultation, particularly in relation to the growing importance of collective labour law.

Intended Learning Outcomes

explain the competing approaches to understanding the employment relationship: 1,2
describe and explain the role and functions of the parties to the employment relationship: 1,2
explain conflict with reference to the distribution of power between the parties: 1,2
relate the prevalence of collective bargaining to alternative forms of representation and to the regulation of the employment relationship: 1,2
examine the process of collective bargaining and apply knowledge of bargaining practices and constraints to the negotiation exercise carried out in tutorials: 1,2
appreciate the changing contextual and legal framework in which employment relations exist: 1,2

Study hours

20 hours lectures and tutorials
5 hours supervised preparation for tutorial exercise
20 hours student-led group work for tutorial preparation
50 hours individual tutorial preparation
55 hours personal study


School Rules

Completion of module Foundations of HRM (HRM-10007) or Employee Resourcing HRM-20017

Description of Module Assessment

1: Exam weighted 60%
Take away exam
Assessment 1 is a take-away exam which will be available on the KLE for 24-hours to answer and submit your answer via Turnitin File. Although students have been given significant time to complete this exam script, we expect most students to spend no more than 3 hours to complete and submit their answers via Turnitin (with a maximum of 2000 words). Answers should be as accurate and concise as possible. Tutor assistance with exam preparation will be available before the exam paper is released, but not afterwards. The exam will assess the later parts of the module and will be structured in two parts, each with a choice of questions. One question must be selected from each part.

2: Portfolio weighted 40%
Students submit a 1000 word portfolio relating to the case study and reflect on how this relates to the main themes from
Throughout the module, students take part in a role play exercise in tutorial groups, simulating elements of collective negotiation. This portfolio reflects key elements of their learning and of their experience of working in this way and requires reflection on the process and the feedback given after the negotiation session in week 12.