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Case 7.1: Global Industrial

Relations at Ford Motor
Company
Group 4: Leslie Closterman, Lily Busher, Yevie
Teyfukova, Kristen Arps, Jamie Shannon

Agenda
Intro

to Case Study

Questions
Key

Takeaways

Discussion
Sources

Intro to the Case Study

Ford Motor Company

30 countries

~215,000 employees worldwide

56 different unions across countries

Challenge: Variety of Unions

i.e. Australia- subcommittees at a local level versus Germanycentralized negotiations via national employers association

Question 1

What is the nature and role of

bargaining?

To negotiate mutually agreeable terms of

employment including:

Salary and benefits

Hours

Health and safety policies

Leave

Conflict resolution in the workplace

www.aflcio.org/Learn-About-Unions/Collective-Bargaining

Question 1 -continued

What is the role of government in bargaining?

Regulates employment conditions

Provide benefits i.e. health care, govt pensions

Setting bargaining and striking rules

Resolve conflicts via legal system

Government as an employer

Negotiates with employees

Large number of public sector unions

Sets precedent nationwide

http://www.shareyouressays.com/116929/what-is-the-role-of-government-in-collective-bargaining

Question 2

What problems do you see for MNEs (multi-national

enterprises) that must bargain with unions in multiple
countries?

Country-specific legislation and regulations

Economic conditions

Culturally-bound values

Level and logistics of communication

Varying definitions and understanding of contracts

Language barriers

How do you advise that these be resolved?

Research! (i.e. U.S. Dept of Labor, Intl Labor Org, etc.)

Communicate!

Question 3

What do you predict for the future of

unions and union relations in the global
economy and why?

Changing workforce

Growth of private versus public sector unions

Possible trend: decline of unions due to

greater job mobility

More private sector employment more

private unions

Global economic growth=international union

expansion

Possible trend: unions may begin to play a

larger role in historically poorer countries as
economies improve and exploitation is
tolerated less

Key Takeaways
Union

structures and relations vary by country

Communication

between all involved parties

(employee, employer and government) is essential

Conditions
Future

field

change continually

of unions is unknown, much debate in the

Discussion

Thoughts?

Comments?

Examples?

Sources and Additional Resources

AFL-CIO Americas Unions (2014). Collective Bargaining.

Retrieved from http://www.aflcio.org/Learn-AboutUnions/Collective-Bargaining

Share Your Essays (2014). What is the Role of Government in

Collective Bargaining? Retrieved from
http://www.shareyouressays.com/116929/what-is-the-role-ofgovernment-in-collective-bargaining