The notion of partnership agreements between employers and trade unions has gained popularity in Britain. One well-known example of a partnership agreement is between Tesco (one of the big four supermarkets) and the Union of Shop Distributive Allied Workers (USDAW).

Questions

1 A partnership agreement is an agreement between an employer and trade union. What are the benefits of a partnership agreement between an employer and union from a human resource management perspective?

2 What are the potential drawbacks of a partnership agreement from the perspective of employees in the employment relationship at the individual workplace? Use the example of an employee at a supermarket checkout to think critically about the drawbacks of a partnership agreement.