Whether the Types of Collective Bargaining Helped the Industries - Research Paper Example

Introduction Labor relations can be considered as the practice and study of managing and controlling unionizedemployment situations. Labor relation is a significant area within the industrial relations. It is also related to modern human resource management practices. Labor relations generally cover labor law, labor history, bargaining, union organizing and contact administration. Collective bargaining can be considered as a significant process of arbitration between a group of employees and employers at making agreements in order to regulate organizational working conditions. The employees’ interests are commonly presented trade union’s representatives. It is true that collective agreements are made by these specific negotiations generally set out working hours, training, wage scales, overtime, participating rights in company or workplace affairs, and health and safety. Collective bargaining generally occurred in trade unions in which a group of employees used to negotiate with the single employer or group of businesses depending upon the business or employment environment of a country in order to make s sustainable industry wide agreement. It is true that a collective agreement used to function as a labor or employment contract between labor union and employers. Collective bargaining consists of negotiation process between group of employees and employer in order to make a mutual agreement on employee wage scale, working hours, job role, health and safety and social participating rights of employees in a workplace or an organization. Collective bargaining can be divided into several types that are discussed in the research results and finding part. This research work has addressed the following problem statement and has provided answer to the following research question. Problem Statement It is true that global business environment is full of controversies and issues. The term collective bargaining was introduced during Industrial Revolution when the labors were not allowed to enjoy their social rights. On the other hand, employers were only focusing on profit maximization. The employers were least bothered about the common employment rights of employees. Looking into these issues, several employees within the industry tried to form a union to protest these inadequacies. They started to complaint against low wage distribution, lack of health and safety, and long working hours against low pay scale and excess hard-work. The major problem is whether the types of collective bargaining have helped the industries to develop a healthy relationship between employers and employees. Research Question From the above mentioned issues, two research questions can be developed in this report. Firstly, has collective bargaining helped the employees and employers to develop a good relationship among them or not? Secondly, have collective bargaining and trade unions helped employees to enjoy proper wage scale, appropriate working hours, high job satisfaction, and positive health and safety aspect? Research Methodology Research methodology can be divided into two types, such as qualitative research methodology and quantitative research methodology. It is true that, both these research methods encompass different types of research approaches that help the researchers to determine the behavior and nature of the sourced and collected data. Quantitative research methodology generally focuses on the analysis and evaluation of numerical data. On the other hand, qualitative research methodology generally focuses on the analysis and evaluation of qualitative information and data. This qualitative research methodology focuses on the feelings, emotions, attitude, behavior and motivation of the human beings. Qualitative research methodology can be undertaken for this specific research due to particular nature of the study. A researcher can implement this research method in this study based on the exploratory nature of the research in which the views, feelings and thoughts will be undertaken in order to meet developed research objective within limited time period. This particular research of labor relation and collective bargaining needs analysis and evaluation of feelings, thoughts and views of several industry experts from recent past to gain positive research outcome within limited time period. Therefore, consideration of qualitative research methodology can be justified for the researcher in this specific situation. Data Collection Data collection can be considered as one of the important aspects of research process. Data collection can be divided into two different aspects, such as primary data collection process and secondary data collection process. Primary data collection process includes sourcing and collection of data through real-time survey and interviews. On the other hand, secondary data collection process includes sourcing and collection of data and information from existing data bank and review of several relevant literature and theoretical frameworks. Secondary data collection process has been implemented in this study based on the nature of the study. The area of this specific study is quite vast. Therefore, it is quite difficult for a researcher to conduct survey and source primary data in limited time period. Consideration of secondary data will help the researcher to gain sufficient data and information in limited time period that will help the researcher to find out positive research outcome. Data Analysis Academic textbooks and reviews of literature have been considered as the major data sources. In terms of analysis, justification of the statements considering the argument of literatures has been considered in this study to gain appropriate answer of the research questions. Results and Findings Before going to the actual results and findings, it is important for the researcher to mention about different types of collective bargaining. Generally collective bargaining can be divided into five parts, such as distributive bargaining, cooperative bargaining, productivity bargaining, composite bargaining and concessionary bargaining. In distributive bargaining, management and unions have initial demand, resistance points, target points and settlement ranges. In cooperative bargaining, both management and unions try to reach at a mutual beneficial position. In productivity bargaining, union expect from the management to focus on both personal and professional needs of employees. In composite bargaining, the employees generally believe that productivity bargaining has increased burden for them due to introduction of new technological and service processes to enhance work performance. On the other hand, Concessionary bargaining is quite opposite to other bargaining process. In this process, the employers generally expect good and effective performances from the employees in return of paid salary and incentives. All these collective bargaining processes are important for labor unions as well as management of the organizations to enhance sustainable work environment and business performance. Results It is clear from the above study that employees tend to join labor unions in order to get appropriate employment benefits in an organization. It is true that, several organizations do not give value to employees regarding employee motivation and job satisfaction. Therefore, labor unions demand good working environment, standard working hour and justified salary to management for the employees (Bendix 142). Distributive bargaining, cooperative bargaining, productivity bargaining, composite bargaining process allow the labor unions to make a justified demand for the effort of the employees in an organization. On the other hand, employees also have to consider Concessionary bargaining process in order to maintain good and effective workplace performance according to the developed mutual agreement during the time of recruitment and selection process. It is true that, each and every employee or employer may face legal and ethical issues if he or she violated employment rules and regulations that are developed according to the industry standards. These five collective bargaining process generally help the management as well as unions to maintain an effective relationship between the management and unions. Identically, cooperative bargaining process has been considered as one of the most valuable and effective collective bargaining processes in which both the parties decide to follow a mutual agreement. All these bargaining processes are generally observed in the public sector industries and firms due to centralized control of government and public agencies over each and every business operation process (Kearney 81). Effective labor relations can be considered as important aspects in the contemporary human resource management practices. Several organizations need to focus on these things as inadequate practices can create several legal difficulties for the organizations. Example of Tesco Plc. can be considered in this part of the study. The organization has faced legal challenges in recent past due to violation of employment laws. The organization failed to fulfill employee’s needs and demands based on developed organizational values. In addition to this, the organizational management did not focus on these issues. The labor union did complain against this matter. However, this issue affected the brand image of the organization among the important stakeholders and shareholders. Adoption of cooperative collective bargaining process would have helped the organization to mitigate the risk. Findings It is clear from the above analysis and result that labor unions generally consider the collective bargaining process in order to gain employment justice. It is true that, several employees do not get justified salary. Moreover, employers assign long working hours in limited wage for the employees in order to gain maximum output from the. It is true that, this specific concept helps them to increase business profit but it may create several legal and ethical difficulties for the employers. Therefore, it is highly important for the organizations as well as the labor unions to follow all the collective bargaining processes depending upon the nature of the organizational or industrial issues in order to maintain a good relationship between employees and management. In terms of social justice, it is highly important for the employees to gain knowledge about the adoption and implementation of all these collective bargaining process. In case of any kind of discrimination, the employees have the right to take legal action against the management through the help of the labor unions. It will help them to gain appropriate social justice within a specific organization or an industry. Several leading organizations are considering the value of employee motivation and high job satisfaction of employees in case of effective business performance. However, the usefulness and characteristics of collective barraging process can help the employees to get salary according to the industry standards. Moreover, the employees can get incentives in case of doing overtime in organization. It is highly important for the employers to maintain good relationship with employees and value their both personal and professional needs in order to ensure good workplace environment. Conclusion and Recommendations It is clear from the above discussion that collective bargaining can be considered as an important process of negotiation between employees and management of an organization to maintain a good and healthy workplace environment in an organization. Collective bargaining process can be divided into five types and all these types are equally important for both employees and employers as these help the management and union to develop a strong relationship between employees and management of an organization. In addition to this, it also helps employees to gain appropriate employment opportunities in organizations. These negotiations or bargaining generally takes place during disagreement of any matter or aspect. These collective bargaining processes help to enhance labor relations. Following recommendation processes will help both the employees as well as employers to develop an effective relationship among them. First of all, it is highly important for the employers and management of an organization to gain knowledge about each and every industry standards. Moreover, the management of the organization should try to maintain each and every labor standard in organization in order to avoid the possibilities of any hazard or fall or discrimination. Secondly, the employers should aware of the legal consequences of any unethical strategy development process. They need to give value to the employees as well as the labor unions. Inadequate employee treatment may lead to strikes and other critical consequences that can affect brand image and organizational business performance of an organization. Mutual agreement is important for both employees and employers in collective bargaining process. It is true that, inadequate meeting cannot benefit either employers or employees. Therefore, it is highly recommended that each and every body in the bargaining process should try to facilitate each other in order to overcome negative consequences. Effective health and safety, adequate workplace environment, standard wage scale, standard working time, justified incentive for overtime, effective social recognition for employees and effective performance of employees are important to enhance good relationship between labor union and management of an organization (Katz 75). Works Cited Bendix, Sonia. The basics of Labour Relations. New Jersey: Pearson, 2000. Print. Katz, Harry. An introduction to collective bargaining and industrial relations. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2007. Print. Kearney, Richard. Labor Relations in the Public Sector. New York: CRC Press, 20000. Print. Read More