Industrial Relations

Industrial Relations

On a job search advertisement it is possible to see psychology, industrial relations and human resources majors grouped together. A border multidisciplinary field is organizational behaviour, rooted heavily in psychology, but a customary business concentration.

Industrial relations are also called employment relations and are the study of workforce intricacies. Careful examination of the employment, or worker-manager, relationship tries to understand the interrelation of employer and employee.  Labour productivity and negotiation between unions and employers have long been a topic of inquiry in economics. The specific branch zooms in on effort bargain and collective bargaining and has been contested.

During the 1960s and 1970s the legitimacy of Industrial Relations (IR) theory was doubted. Interestingly, the extension is abbreviated IR the same as political science field International Relations (or State Behaviour). Given the importance of political environment in governing employment policies, the overlap makes sense. Another demonstration of political influence is the radical viewpoint that has at its core Marxist tenets. The three major theoretical perspectives are unitarism, pluralism and radicalism.

An old printing office. Photo by Elena

To continue with the isms, according to Edwards (1995), Britain is much more prone to voluntarism than North America. However, arguments like the one presented are of the realm of political economy and lay outside the scope of this short discussion.

Notwithstanding, the author proceeds by explaining that IR is different from economics in its focus on employment structure, regulation and negotiation. Economics would offer a theoretical model based on rationality. Though both are sciences of a humanistic nature, IR would award greater attention to the social and psychological interpersonal factors involved.

In Canada, the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) ensures fair dispute resolution. The board acts as a quasi-judicial tribunal in administering the industrial relations and occupational health and safety parts of the Canada Labour Code.

As eloquently put on their homepage, the Canadian Industrial Relations Association (CIRA) generates an environment conducive to advancement and public recognition of industrial relations. The Central Ontario Industrial Relations Institute (COIRI) offers the option to discuss via telephone conversation issues in employment and human rights.

With a B.A. (Bachelor of Arts) in IR, a recent graduate may find work as a personnel recruiter, academic advisor, headhunter and employment interviewer, among others. Industry Canada, who has been chosen as one of the nation’s Top 100 employers in the famous competition, featured an IR job ad that could make more than one doctoral thesis candidate want to change careers. PayScale, a website dedicated to put a number on most degrees and majors, promises a substantial salary range for holders of Master’s in IR degrees.

Reference:

    Edwards, P. K. (1995). From industrial relations to the employment relationship: The development of research in Britain. Relations Industrielles / Industrial Relations, 50 (1): 39-65.