Boeing has been forced to suspend work on some models at its Seattle-area manufacturing hub for more than a month. Boeing shares have lost about 40% of their value this year, putting them on track for the worst annual return since 2008.
We asked how HR can support the workforce and minimise damage during strikes.
HR must focus on both helping the business deliver essential services, and upholding employment law around strikes, said founder of HR consultancy Amelore, Ruth Cornish.
She told HR magazine: “HR has a big role to play when employees are striking. Making sure the business can still deliver essential services is key. Whether this is by redeploying staff to cover different duties or recruiting agency workers.
“HR leaders also need to be focused on ensuring that striking workers' statutory and employment rights are upheld.”
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Simon Jones, director of HR consultancy Ariadne Associates, added that employees who are not striking may need additional support.
“HR practitioners also need to remember that staff who are not striking need support at this time, whether they sympathise with striking colleagues or find coming through a picket intimidating,” he said. “Regardless of individual views, an employer has a duty of care to ensure that those staff can carry out their work as 'normally' as possible."
The 33,000 Boeing workers have been on strike since September. This is the second offer they have voted to reject. The latest pay offer was an increase from its initial 25% rise, but workers are still holding out for the reinstatement of their defined-benefit pension plan.
Employers should strive for a positive relationship with unions to prevent disputes becoming strikes, Jones said.
He said: “When strike action occurs, it is a sign of a breakdown in trust. HR staff involved in the negotiations need to look at ways to repair this and create the conditions for a win-win situation. Building up and maintaining good working relationships with trade unions at all times is key to this – it's no good trying to do this just to solve a particular dispute.”
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According to Cornish, the best way to foster positive union relations is to maintain communication and transparency.
She said: “Maintaining good industrial relations is all about communications. Understanding the union's point of view and identifying areas where compromises can be reached is helpful. It is a difficult and tense time for all.
“It is also important that organisations share information in an open and transparent way with their workforce. A strike situation can create the perfect conditions for harassment and bullying to flourish. HR leaders need to make sure that everyone is clear about what is and is not acceptable.”
