The Pros and Cons of Collective Bargaining

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Discuss the pros and cons of Collective Bargaining and explain their significance for improvements in labour productivity.

“Collective bargaining can be defined as a process whereby trade unions, representing workers, and employers through their representatives, treat and negotiate with a view to the conclusion of a collective agreement or renewal thereof.” (Morris L. 2002). Collective bargaining may also include the process of resolving minor or major conflicts between labor and management or their agents. Therefore it essentially can be seen as a mutually recognized system of industrial jurisprudence creation. Collective Bargaining can act as an introduction to civil rights in the respective industry, but that can only happen if management is conducted by rules and regulations an not by arbitrary decision making processes. It defines and restricts the traditional authority exercised by management by the establishment of rules.

Collective Bargaining has a number of objectives that are geared towards work life improvement. The first objective of collective bargaining is Workers’ participation, in the organizational decision-making. collective bargaining gives the worker an opportunity to participate in some areas of company direction such as the formation of rules and regulations. Participation leads to the enhancement of the quality of the enterprise condition thorough the employees’welcomed productive suggestions, as the are the ones who are familiar with the actual working realities of the enterprise. This also can assist in the boosting of the employees’ morale, self-esteem and cense of belonging, thus leading to an enhanced feeling of commitment to the organization. The second objective is the resolution of ind...

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References

Dessler,G. and Varkkey,B. (2009) Human Resource Management. Eleventh Edition.Pearson Education.

Howell, C. (2007) Trade Unions and the state: The Construction of Industrial Relations Institutions in Britain, 1890-2000. Princeton University Press

Khan, J. and Soverall, W. (2007) Gaining Productivity. Arawak publications.

Morris, R. L. (2002)"Chapter 2 The Collective Bargaining Process." New Issues in Collective Bargaining: A Caribbean Workers' Education Guide. Port of Spain: ILO. Pp 12-22. Print.

Salamon, M. (2000). Collective Bargaining. In: Harlow: Financial Times Prentice Hall (ed), Industrial Relations: Theory and Practice. 4th ed. (pp.321 - 368.) England: Pearson Education Limited.

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