Union derecognition and the new human relations: A steel industry case study

This paper presents a detailed case study of a non-union company that adopt s a comprehensive HRM approach. Recent accounts of such workplaces identify benefits for employees inducing a perceived lack of need for union members hip. This paper reveals a rather different picture in a case where some of the gains for employees proved illusory. Managerial strategy was geared tow ards attitudinal compliance, work intensification and the suppression of an y counterbalancing trade union activity. The costs of compliance were high and management were exceptionally harsh upon individuals who could not or w ould not fit in. Workers resistance was more evident than in previous work suggesting they are not easily seduced by 'human relations' practices.