The grievance machinery and its correlates in unionized five-star hotels in Metro Manila

• Main Author: Edralin, Divina M.
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 1991
• Subjects: Grievance arbitration.; Dispute resolution.; Grievance procedures.; Hotels > Employees > Labor unions > Philippines.
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_doctoral/1280
• Institution: De La Salle University

Given the current thrust of government to promote voluntary modes of settling disputes, as well as the increasing attractiveness of less confrontational means of resolving grievances, there is urgent need to reexamine the currently most dominant mechanism for dispute settlement, the grievance machinery. However, there is a lack of locally documented aggregate data on the grievance machinery's role, importance, actual implementation and various factors related to grievance filing and resolution. Thus, this study was undertaken in order to document and verify general knowledge about the grievance machinery as a conflict resolution process, as practiced particularly in the unionized five-star hotels in Metro Manila. The study uses the descriptive and correlation type of research designs. One hundred sixty-one grievants and 13 key informants from the sample 7 hotels were interviewed in a survey. The data were analyzed with the use of different statistical tools. Content analysis, percentage, and mean were employed for the descriptive part and inferential grievance filed (2) average number of tardiness with number of grievances filed and outcome and (3) union involvement and commitment with number of days the case is solved.With no basis to the conclusions of other researches, significant relationships were found on: (1) average number of absences with number of days the grievance is resolved (2) schedule of work with outcome (3) rating of working conditions with number of grievances filed and (4) disciplinary action received with type and outcome of case. Based on the results and its implications, several recommendations are forwarded which can be of practical use to the hotels and other similar establishments. Among them are: (1) reassessment and improvement of the existing grievance machinery (2) institutionalization of the informal method of dispute settlement (3) careful evaluation of management's decision in suspending, warning and terminating employees (4) conduct of grievance handling and dispute settlement seminars (5) review and revision of offenses and of penalties listed in the company house rules and (6) use of preventive approaches such as skip-level interview in managing employee complaints.