SECTION III

EMPLOYEE RELATIONS: THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK OF EMPLOYMENT AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

Introduction

The significance of collective bargaining between management and unions had already begun to diminish at the time when the second edition of this book was published in 1990, and this trend has continued, along with continuous erosion of the membership base of trade unions. However, this has not diminished the significance of employee relations, but has rather transferred the emphasis to attempts to achieve greater cooperation between management and employees in the battle to maintain market share, profits, and jobs in the face of greater international competition, privatisation, and the trend to downsized, decentralised, and delayered organisations. The legal framework of employment has likewise responded to changed circumstances, notably the need to take on board a steady flow of European Community (now European Union) directives, in addition to continuous and ongoing litigation and legislation within the UK.

The issue of equal opportunities is of particular concern in the workplace, and the third chapter in this section is dedicated to an examination of key issues, and the range of practical measures which managers can take to ensure the potential benefits which can arise from the diversity of employees who now make up the workforce in the UK.