ABSTRACT
The conceptual aspects of safety and health as applicable to a unionized and nonunion operation are the same; however, the procedural implementation and management of the safety and health function in a unionized operation can be significantly different from an organization where employees are not represented by a labor union. Unionization in the United States is a pendulum which swings with the state of the workplace for the American worker. The primary authority which impacts the human resource and safety functions in a unionized environment is the collective bargaining agreement. Within a unionized workplace, the tracking of attendance by employees is a daily activity within the human resource function. Within the collective bargaining agreement is usually a number of prescribed days which can be excused or unexcused absences as well as the disciplinary impact of such absences.
