"A Walk on the Wild Side" Podcast
"A Walk on the Wild Side" Podcast
Managing employee relations in global and millennial times... 10 minutes at a time
Alan Wild, author and narrator of HR Policy Association's "A Walk on the Wild Side" podcast, is a leading expert and practitioner in global employee relations. Over a long career, Alan has led global employee relations for Guinness, IBM, and Amazon; he was a member of the Governing Body of the International Labour Organization and later its CHRO; and has conducted consulting assignments in more than 100 countries and for many of HRPA's nearly 400 CHRO members. The "Wild Side" podcast was first released in 2020 and became an immediate success with more than 6,000 regular listeners in 60 countries. After a three-year pause and having hung up his cleats with Amazon, Alan is re-launching this new and updated version of the podcast to cover the large and complex landscape of modern employee relations. |  |
April 1, 2024
S02E10 - International Trade Unions: Who They Are and What They Do
Wild Side Episode 10 explores international trade unions, their identity, and current priorities. Employee relations professionals often engage with them for expertise in European Works Councils or as targets of global corporate campaigns. These trade unions influence policy through the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and UN systems, primarily via ITUC, ETUC, UniGlobal, and IndustriALL. Their focus includes International Framework Agreements and capacity building for the movement.
April 1, 2024
S02E09 - Social Networks and New Forms of Collective Action
This is the second of the Wild Side podcasts’ addressing the impact of social networks on employee relations. In this episode, Host Alan Wild looks at non-traditional forms of collective action such as protests and disputes organized not through trade unions, but by employees orchestrating collective voice by leveraging social media tools. It also explores cases where employees have joined together to overturn agreements reached by untrusted trade unions. Are union-free companies immune to protests or strikes? This episode challenges outdated assumptions that haven't stood the test of time.
MARCH 4, 2024
This new episode of The Wild Side podcast deals with Activist Capture. Host Alan Wild describes the two forms of activist capture and shares regional examples of how it might play out. The first is where low voting in Works Council ballots results in the election of members who put their own interests before those of the people they represent. A similar issue is faced where thresholds for trade union representation are very low, and militant unions secure bargaining rights for the workforce despite having few members. The phenomenon is observed in rights-based employee relations systems and is a growing issue for Tech companies with no history of works council organization or trade union membership. The second form of activist capture is where internal company issues are hijacked by militant activists for their purposes, explode out of control in social and mainstream media, and are judged in the court of public opinion.
MARCH 4, 2024
S02E07 - Works Councils: One Concept, Many Flavors
The seventh episode in the “Wild Side '' focuses on works councils. Information and consultation bodies exist in many countries in some form, this episode concentrates on works councils or trade union committees with information and consultation rights in Europe. We discuss why establishing constructive relationships with bodies that represent employee interests is fundamental to European employee relations. A short example of managing a restructuring exercise across Europe sets out information and consultation and the penalties that can apply if the company gets it wrong.
FEB 5, 2024
S02E06 - Mexico: A Changing Labor Landscape
In a staggering shift, more than 90% of Mexico's industrial companies were under collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) before May 2023. However, by June 1st, this figure plummeted to less than 20%. Reuters reports that a staggering 139,000 CBAs dissolved in May 2023 alone. Leaving companies used to years of so-called “Protection Agreements” or sweetheart deals with “white“ unions, union-free. Starting in the auto sector, and aided by US colleagues and the USMCA treaty, Mexico’s more militant unions are on the organizing trail. Host Alan Wild unravels the events leading to this significant change, offers insights into the future of trade unions, and explores the considerations companies may be contemplating.
FEB 5, 2024
S02E05 - European Works Councils: An Evolving History
European Works Councils have become a familiar part of the employee relations infrastructure in Europe over the last 25 years. This podcast describes the evolution of EWC law and practice up to the current proposals from the European Commission for a major revision. Despite employer fears when the laws were passed, most companies reached voluntary agreements prior to the law taking effect. Companies have adapted well and describe most EWCs today as constructive. That assessment may be revised when the laws are likely to be revised during 2024.
JAN 8, 2024
S02E04 - The Anatomy of a Corporate Campaign
What's a corporate campaign, how they are organized, and how do you identify a company's vulnerabilities? National corporate campaigns began in 1899. Today, global campaigns go viral with the help of social media. Tools of the trade are not strikes or workplace labour sanctions but actions that damage a company’s reputation in the eyes of customers, legislators, politicians, shareholders, and the public. Notable real-world examples are “Killer Coke”, “Rotten Apple”, “The Real Toy Story”, “Just Stop It”, and “Make Amazon Pay”.
JAN 8, 2024
S02E03 - The International Framework for Employee Relations: What’s Behind it All?
Why do the employment laws in every country differ slightly but cover the same issues? It is because the framework for international labour law comes from the International Labour Organization (ILO). 190 ILO Conventions guide national lawmakers. Initially intended for governments, ILO Conventions have found their way into employee relations work in international companies. Host Alan Wild explains how the international framework for employee relations developed and which organizations are behind it all.
DEC 4, 2023
S02E02 – Global Employee Relations: Things to Know Before You Jump In
Examine the key concepts that enable the international Employee Relations Specialist to tackle issues with empathy and success. Much of the day-to-day work involves jumping from country to country and dealing with multiple issues in different contexts. Explore ideas that make issues easier to understand and resolve. Is the country system power-based or rights-based? How mature are the employee relations? And, how culture matters and understanding risk play an important part in the role.
DEC 4, 2023
S02E01 – How the Role of the Global Employee Relations Executive Was Born
Take a look at how a role that barely existed 30 years ago has become an essential part of business success in the modern world. Learn the business, political, legal, and social reasons that make the successful management of international employee relations such a key role today.