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Industrial and Employee Relations - A 21st Century Approach

Hassan Elsan Mansaray

The book aims to help students develop their knowledge of industrial and employee relations as a real-world subject and the effects of globalisation on labour relations. Globalisation has inadvertently led to some negative results such as a reduction in jobs in some countries and a result increase in global competition and low wages. In the past three decades, labour unions declined after the concentration of economic globalisation, empowerment of employers’ associations, and the high demand for skilled labour. Consequently, Trade unions are put in a crisis and may face a rather dismal future throughout the 21st century. Globalisation beckoned the end of business as usual by the labour movement. One of the management subjects that has received public importance over time is the subject of industrial relations. The subject has widespread request since all employees are affected by some aspect of industrial relations, no matter what it takes, for most of their working lives. Equally, Employee Relations is a term that has emerged in recent years and is often used to draw attention to a particular area of the subject. In the past, you found the term ‘Industrial Relations’ in more common use. The question could be if, there are any forthright differences attached to the meanings and practices of these two terms (Industrial Relations and Employee Relations) form part of the discussion in this book.