Labor_Laws_and_Unions

Labor Laws and Unions Okechukwu Ndukuba HRM/531 May 7, 2012 Gene Little Introduction – Exxon Mobil, Labor Laws, and Unions Exxon Mobil, a giant in the oil and gas business sector with the benefit of long time operation, enjoys a prosperous company and workers relationship. This enviable relationship is as a result of the company’s commitment to respect basic human rights, supported by the policies in their Standard of Business Conduct. Diagnosis of this paper would touch on Exxon Mobil background, foreseeable legal issues and obstacles it could encounter, which arm of government, federal, state, or local laws could be broken because of these legal issues and why, alongside the recommendations to minimize possible litigations. Also mention would be made on benefits of joining a union by an organization, the unionization process, how a union bargains, and the effects union bargaining has on the organization. Finally, the concluding section would comprehensively empower the paper as a rounded informative work. Exxon Mobil Historical Background Exxon Mobil as one of the largest multinational company in the United States incorporates business profitability and social responsibility to both its employees and customers .The Company engaging in business profitability, same time took extensive measure to meet the wants, and needs of her internal, and external stakeholders. This could be seen from Exxon Mobil employee super welfare policies, community development projects worldwide, funding of vastly diversified research projects, and development in medicine, agriculture, and environment. Legal Issues and Obstacles The legal issues as relates to Exxon Mobil labor-management relations are offshoot of the above federal enactments, trickled down to state, and local labor law issues. State of California and County Labor Laws: Most of these laws came from adoptions, reforms, court rulings, and daily practices of the federal laws. These could be listed as follows:- 1. Wrongful Termination, Retaliation, and Demotion 2. Pregnancy Discrimination 3. Age Discrimination 4. Sexual Harassment 5. Disability Discrimination 6. Overtime Pay Claims 7. Meal Break/ Rest Break Claims 8. Employment Discrimination based on gender, race, religion, and nationality. Labor Legal Problems and Exxon Mobil The operational standard and nature of business could pose a legal problem possibility to Exxon Mobil. Being in the oil and gas business required a bit of masculinity, long hours and days work requirement, and physical fitness. The temptation of discriminatory employment based on the company’s work needs is high. It could result in not hiring some grades of people like applicants that are above 40 years, Disabled persons could be seen as not beneficial to the company, and women could be discriminated, because they are not as strong as men. Also there is the possibility of not keeping the overtime claim-form, and these legal issues could cause avoidable litigations. Recommendations for avoiding possible litigations The company could avoid litigations by holding sacred her standard of business. The successes of organized labor have far reaching consequences that Exxon Mobil has adopted it as a partner in business stability, and prosperity. Unionization helps to safe loss of work-hours put in bargaining and different kinds of negotiations. It pays to both parties when duly elected experts or technocrats in labor negotiation together to seek for a safe position. This system has afforded Exxon Mobil a great level of work stability among the employees with better benefits, and competitive pay package. Union encourages teamwork and cooperation, creating jobs for hundreds of people of diverse ethnic nationalities. Unionization helps all working people by providing better wages, benefits, and safer work environments. It protects minorities and other subordinate groups from wrongful terminations, helps the economy, reduces unnecessary litigations, and employee turnover rate. All the benefits to workers, same time indirectly or directly affects positively the company’s productivity. Conclusion This paper is an exposition of the prosperity and business excellence of Exxon Mobil in maintaining core-competencies in area of operation. It brought to limelight the marriage of employee unionism, and high productivity, establishing the company in a first position both in profitability, and workers welfare stakeholders in the company. Unionization as evidenced, benefited both the workers, and company, saving the company work hours that would have been lost in strikes, litigations, individual issues, and other worker-management relations. A select few of knowledgeable representatives sit with management to develop internal labor policies that added to the company’s growth and stability. References Adkins, W. D. (02/05/2012). eHow. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com Hoch, S. J., Kunreuther, H. C., & Gunther, R. E. (Eds.). (2001). Wharton on making decisions. New York, NY: Wiley www.exxonmobil.com/humanrights www.history.eserver.org/us.labor-law.txt www.proconlist.com/pros-and-cons-labor-unions Cascio, W.F. (2010). Managing human resources: Productivity, quality of work life, profits (8th ed.) New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.