Introduction
Industrial conflicts between employees and employers can be resolved through communication and negotiations between the two parties involved in order to reach a decision. It is also referred to as “collective bargaining” since all sides ultimately agree to adhere to the made points and decisions after much thought and conversation. Therefore, collective bargaining is important to understand the relationship that exists between unions that represent workers and management. It entails the process of worker unions, negotiations, management, and implementation of collective agreements affecting pay, hours of work, as well as other working conditions argued in coordinated economic activity dispute resolution procedures.
Advantages of the Bargaining Process
Before delving deeper into the essence of the bargaining process, it is essential to view the bargaining process from the perspective of management. The basic goal of an organization is to have the job carried out by people at the lowest possible cost and simultaneously achieve a high margin of return (Schnabel, 2020). For efficient management, personnel must be used to the greatest extent possible. Employee collaboration is essential for this objective, and collective bargaining is a tool for obtaining and promoting cooperation. Labor conflicts are typically the result of explicit or implicit factors and are built on misinformation. Collective bargaining is the most effective corrective strategy for sustaining amicable ties.
Roles in the Bargaining Process
From the previous statement, it can now be obvious that the two parties involved in the bargaining process are employees and employers. When it comes to the first party, employees might have their own requirements concerning their salaries, hours of work, or any other issues. On the other hand, the employer’s duty in the bargaining process is to accommodate the worker’s requirements without jeopardizing the company’s objectives or profitability (Carrell & Heavrin, 2013). Employers should also make sure that the labor policy is amended to reflect any choices they make during the process (Carrell & Heavrin, 2013). Lastly, the employer must comprehend that the relationship between the company’s management and personnel is very delicate and reaching a mutual decision is the end goal of this process.
Parties of the Bargaining Process
As a result, it can be seen that the whole bargaining process involves only two parties. The first party, employees, and the second party, employers, have a discussion that concerns specific issues. The end of this process is reaching a decision that seems reasonable to both parties (Cazes et al., 2019). Thus, there can be no other party involved since there is no necessity. Probably the most significant advantage of this method is that, by making a legal arrangement, both parties learn exactly what is expected from one another and are informed of their rights (Cazes et al., 2019). This can help reduce the number of disagreements that might arise in the future. Lastly, the bargaining process can also improve operational efficiency, which might increase the productivity of the employees and profitability of the organization.
Conclusion
Hence, the bargaining process is the most optimal way to reach agreements that meet the requirements and objectives of both parties. With the help of communication, both employees and employers have a right to negotiate and reach decisions that might later reduce the number of conflicts. As for the roles of each party in the given process, employees might seek to find solutions to their issues or set their own conditions for the work process. Meanwhile, the role of the employer is to ensure that the employee’s requirements are met and labor policy rules are followed in the given process. While seeing the good side of the collective bargaining, the question is: can there be challenges in implementing the agreements?
References
Carrell, M. R. & Heavrin, J.D., C. (2013). Labor relations and collective bargaining. Pearson Education.
Cazes, S., Garnero, A., & Martin, S. (2019). Negotiating our way up: Collective bargaining in a changing world of work. OECD Publishing.
Schnabel, C. (2020). Union membership and collective bargaining: Trends and determinants. Springer International Publishing.