Collective Bargaining Simulation Reflection
The negotiation is between the management and labours union at the Bathworks Limited. During the collective bargaining activities, I got a chance to experience the process of negotiation and what is it feel like in an actual negotiation.
They are two major roles in this negotiation, the management and the labour union. I am part of the management. As a management, my role is to bargain with the labour union so they will be satisfied with the new contract and sign it. At the same time, we had to minimize the amount of offer we give them to maximum the profit for the company. This is kind of tricky for the management because we can not offer too high or the amount we want them to accept, we had
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I feel annoyed and unreasonable when those problems occur because we can't come to an agreement and it's waste more time.
Others than the items we discuss on this simulation, some other items that are likely to be discussed in a labour-management negotiation are working hours, overtime payment, transportation Reimbursement, insurance.
Union influences the wages and benefits of workers by negotiating with the management. With plenty of workers unite together, there is a higher chance to bargain for a better wage and benefits because it's always better in a union than alone. The union can also pressure the company with strike or work-to-rule so they can fight for more benefits and a better wage for the workers.
In this unique negotiation simulation, not only I learned how to bargain and negotiate, I also learn the problems and frustrations during the negotiate and understand why bargaining can take such a long time. Most important thing I realized in the negotiation is that there will never be a conclusion if both sides do not take a step back, reason and understand with each
Despite attempting to predict the eventual outcome of the negotiation, I did not anticipate the confrontations between Local H-56 and the management of Hotel Zinnia. Although they initially agreed to engage in integrative bargaining, the union and management subsequently entered an intense negotiation. When Local H-56 presented its proposal of wage increases and health insurance, management immediately responded with a counterproposal that surprised the union. Both the union and management eventually behaved confrontationally, accusing each other of bargaining unreasonably and focusing on the trivial aspects of the negotiation. Moreover, as the union and management felt increasingly frustrated, they suffered from a lack of unity in their teams. The union could not fulfill its objectives because its lead negotiator prevented other team members from contributing to the negotiation. On the other hand, several team members of management struggled to assert their authority as the lead negotiator. After observing these issues, I ultimately believe that the union and management failed to achieve their individual objectives. Moreover, by approaching the negotiation with a zero-sum strategy, I assert that the union and management failed to reach a mutually beneficial contract. At the same time, both sides of the bargaining table lacked cohesive teams and therefore struggled under the pressure of the negotiation.
Lewicki, J. R., Barry, B., & Saunders, M. D. (2010). Negotiation: Readings, exercises and cases
To conclude this analysis on the basis of the labor’s extensive history, Sloane & Witney (2010) propose, “it is entirely possible that labor’s remarkable staying power has been because of the simple fact that to many workers, from the nineteenth century to the present, there really has been no acceptable substitute for collective bargaining as a means of maintaining and improving employment conditions” (p.80). In the end, it is important to anticipate unions and employers presently work together to find solutions that will enhance collective bargaining strategies and practices to serve the interest of both parties.
Lewicki, R., Saunders, D.M., Barry B., (2010) Negotiation: Readings, Exercises, and Cases. 6th Ed. McGraw-Hill Irwin. New York, NY
During our class labor negotiation my team was on the union side of the negotiation. When making our decisions about each topic we looked at what the union side wanted and what the management side wanted. My team decided that it was best to shoot high and if the management side did not like this then we would aim to at least get the market average. My team pretty much agreed on everything. Lorenzo and David were our chief negotiator and
A question that has frequently been ask over the years is, " Why should we care about collective bargaining? ". The thing that has been missing from the collective bargaining discussion is a real explanation and understanding of the concept. Collective bargaining has been described as a process when employees and their representatives form a united front, known as a union, to negotiate with their employers. These negotiations are usually over things like pay rates and salary amounts, benefits, and conditions at the workplace , among other issues. The principles of collective bargaining and unions come from the idea that employees as a group have far more bargaining power than individual employees trying to negotiate with their employer. Since collective bargaining has a basis in collaboration it is considered a very democratic process. The members of the employee union choose the issues to be bargained over and vote on if the agree to the contract proposed by their representatives and management.
management will tell the union what it can pay the workers and still be earning
Lewicki, R. J., Barry, B., & Saunders, D. M. (2007). Essentials of Negotiation. New York: McGraw-Hill/ Irwin.
...s in stone. Rather, I will work towards a beneficial compensation package, if not a pay increase, then perhaps a higher title with concessions. The outcome of this negotiation should leave both sides satisfied. I will also research the department’s policy on compensation as well as reviewing my job description. Both of these are attainable in the Human Resources department. Furthermore, I will check websites that have listing of salaries and job descriptions to make sure my compensation is commensurate with my work. The scholarly article I will use to help plan out my tactics in my negotiation is “Dealcrafting: The Substance of Three-Dimensional Negotiations by David A. Lax, and James K. Sebenius”. This article explains that our understanding of negotiations are one dimensional. However, this new approach for a three dimensional negotiation can work in my favor.
Lewicki, R. J., Saunders, D. M., & Barry, B. (2010). Negotiation: Readings, exercises, and cases. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin
A collective bargaining agreement collectively sets the terms on which an employer offers individual work contracts to each of its employees in the bargaining unit. A bargaining agreement, also herein referred to as a labour agreement, is a legally enforceable written commitment, which states the rights and duties of all parties involved. The labour agreement should be made in good faith and is intended to be observed and not violated. The National Labour Relations Act obligates employers and unions to bargain in good faith concerning terms and conditions of employment, including hours and wages. Like any normal contract, competent parties must enter into a labour agreement. However, a labour agreement is unique from other legal contracts in that there is no consideration involved and nothing tangible is exchanged. Many, but not all, unions require formal ratification of a new labour contract by a majority membership acceptance, which is determined through vote by the members. Until majority approval of those voting in a ratification election is received, the proposed labour contract is not final. While each labour agreement is unique to the needs of an organization and its employees, most agreements include five issues: (1) Management Rights, (2) Union Security, (3) Wages and Benefits, (4) Individual Security (Seniority) Rights, and (5) Dispute Resolution. Management Rights “Management” is the process of working with people and resources to accomplish organizational goals by making the best possible use of money, time, materials and people. The management process, when properly executed, involves a wide variety of activities including planning, organizing, directing and controlling. It is management’s role to perform all of these functions in order to maximize results.
Collective bargaining may happen in several kinds of fields, ranging politics to sports. It allows appropriate settlement of disputes and issues that benefit both parties involved, producing a result that is not one-sided. Collective bargaining is “the negotiation of wages and other conditions of employment by an organized body of employees” (Beal, Wickersham, & Kienast 5). Four issues that are probable components of a collective bargaining agreement are:
Negotiation has been used as a vital communication tool not only in business but also in social intercourse. It helps people make common agreement and avoid conflict. So we need to use the tactics which we learned from this course and books to do more practice, only in this way we can gain advantages in negotiation.
In any disagreement, individuals understandably aim to achieve the best possible outcome for their position (or perhaps an organization they represent). However, the principles of fairness, seeking mutual benefit and maintaining a relationship are the keys to a successful outcome.
Traditional literature in the field of labor relations has focused immensely on its benefit towards the employer and in the process equating it to working rules. This has been so despite the field being expected to cover the process of, labor management, union formation, and collective bargain; all which are anticipated to create a positive employer-employee relationship. This relationship is said to be positive if there exist a balance between employment functions and the rights of the laborer. Also important to note, is that this relation is equally important to the public sector as it is to the private one. Therefore, to ensure a mutually conducive labor environment exists, effective labor management process and inclusive negotiation program should be adopted (Mulve 2006; Walton, 2008).