Week 2 Discussion

Negotiating the Labor Agreement, Examining Issues, and Resolving Negotiation

Disputes

At some point in your life, you will be required to negotiate for a work-related or personal objective. It may be that you are negotiating for a higher salary, a better compensation plan, or the purchase of an item for yourself and the family. People are constantly using negotiation strategies whether it is unof�cial or of�cial. The collective bargaining agreement is a legal and binding contract between an employer and a union. Both parties must abide by the agreement and negotiate in good faith to maintain a harmonious working relationship. When contract violations occur or if the parties are unable to reach an agreement over wages, working conditions, hours, etc., it sets off a chain of reactions that result in a dispute between the management representatives and the union representatives. When this occurs, a meeting must be arranged to give both sides an opportunity to voice concerns, present their �ndings, and come to some form of agreement. “The basic objective of collective bargaining is to resolve such interest disputes by reaching an agreement acceptable to both parties, union and management” (Holley, Ross, & Wolters, 2017, p. 268).

Prepare the Management Team

Factors That In�uence the Success of Collective

Bargaining Collective bargaining may not always apply to every organization; but if it does, the objective is to come to a mutual agreement that bene�ts all parties. When management and the union adopt a collective bargaining agreement, it will provide both the parties with a strict term of agreement and offer employees a sense of security as the contract is binding for a speci�ed length of time.

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The management team must be prepared for negotiations. This means the team will review the past concerns of the union as well as review the new items presented by the union.

In addition to the internal issues, there could also be external factors that affect both bargaining parties. “Some factors that may affect union and management bargaining power are prevailing economic conditions (e.g., unemployment rate, labor supply, sales volume), goodwill, public image, government intervention” (Holley et al., 2017, p. 268), and the administrative issues or day-to-day operations of the organization. Lastly, when an interest (negotiation) dispute arises, the union and management representatives may use a neutral third party to resolve the labor dispute.

Identify a List of Concessions the Management Team Is Seeking on Behalf of the Employer (Past and Present)

Recognize the Financial Impact to the Organization

Understand What the Union is Requesting

Prepare for a Strike

The management team must understand any legalities, and if the team is unsure, they should seek legal counsel.

Everyone should be well versed in union negotiations and have a thorough understanding of the protocol.

Assign someone to take copious notes of the meeting.

All minutes should be kept in a centralized location for easy access.

If the topic has a historical precedence, someone should be assigned to bring the minutes to reference during the meeting.   

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Additional Materials

From your course textbook The Labor Relations Process, read the following chapters:

Negotiating the Labor Agreement

Economic Issues

Administrative Issues

Resolving Negotiation (Interest) Disputes and the Use of Economic Pressure

From the South University Online Library, read the following articles:

Illinois Adhesives, Inc: A Case of Unfair Labor Practices? (https://www.thecampuscommon.com/library/ezproxy/ticketdemocs.asp? sch=suo&turl=http://search.ebscohost.com.southuniversity.libproxy.edmc.edu/login.aspx? direct=true&db=edb&AN=92532349&site=eds-live)

(AMM) Vale Inco, Union Engage in Mediation and Legal Action (https://www.thecampuscommon.com/library/ezproxy/ticketdemocs.asp? sch=suo&turl=http://search.ebscohost.com.southuniversity.libproxy.edmc.edu/login.aspx? direct=true&db=bth&AN=48677907&site=eds-live)

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