Two approaches to collective bargaining
Collective bargaining is the process through which employers and employees negotiate the terms and conditions of employment, such as wages, working hours, benefits, and workplace policies. There are generally two approaches to collective bargaining: distributive bargaining and integrative bargaining.
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| approaches to collective bargaining |
There are two main approaches to collective bargaining, that is
1. Traditional and
2. Integrative
The traditional approach, simply put is concerned with the distribution of benefits such as salaries, allowances, wages, promotion or upgrading, and punishment such as termination, dismissal suspension, etc while integrative approach deals with mutual interest to both employees and employers, for examples working hours, quality of work or products, meetings, communication channels and methods, sharing of responsibilities and duties, etc. the bargaining practice can be productive, public employee or coalition.
1. Traditional or distributive bargaining
Distributive Bargaining: Distributive bargaining is often referred to as "win-lose" bargaining because the focus is on dividing a fixed amount of resources between the parties involved. In this approach, each party tries to maximize its own gains at the expense of the other party. The underlying assumption is that there is a finite amount of resources available, and any gain made by one party must come at the expense of the other party. This approach tends to result in more adversarial negotiations, with both parties trying to outmaneuver each other to secure the best possible outcome for their side. The negotiations are often characterized by positional bargaining, where each party takes a firm stance and makes demands, leading to potential conflicts and impasses.
2. Integrative bargaining
Integrative Bargaining: Integrative bargaining, also known as "win-win" bargaining, takes a different approach by seeking mutually beneficial solutions. Unlike distributive bargaining, integrative bargaining focuses on expanding the available resources and finding creative ways to meet the interests of both parties. It encourages collaboration, problem-solving, and cooperation. Instead of viewing negotiations as a zero-sum game, integrative bargaining aims to identify common ground and build agreements that satisfy the needs and interests of both employers and employees. This approach requires open communication, active listening, and a willingness to explore options beyond traditional positions. It often leads to more harmonious labor relations and long-term cooperation between the parties.
The bargaining situations
There are usually prevailing bargaining situation upon which the unions base their negotiation they identified as follows:
1. The overall economic situation in the country, eg improved economy, inflation level etc.
2. The economic conditions of the organization or the industry; at times, workers are sure that the organization is making profits through their hard work or effort
3. The existing relationship between the employer and cordial one to allow for open mindedness
4. The coincidence of objectives, that is, whether one side is likely to suffer a loss while the other gains, or whether both will gain in some way; and
5. Deals for balancing productivity and earnings.
Negotiating mechanism
The procedures for negotiations between the unions and employers teams vary considerably. But there are areas that are generally common to all organizations which must be clarified. These are:
1. Authority conferred on individuals for negotiating purpose so that agreement should not be declared invalid;
2. Acceptance of a system for communication the findings, decisions and agreement.
3. The adoption of the standard ways of conducting the negotiation, bearing in mind the existing rules or laws of the organizations, government, just to mention a few; and
4. The right time or times to approach the government officials when difficulties arise.
Generally collective bargaining takes place when workers have some grievances, especially when they feel that they have been subjected to some unfairness and injustice. The commonest grievances include lack of information on issues that affect union members, poor decisions reached through lack of information or incorrect judgment, conscious or unconscious violation of organizational principles or rules and incorrect understanding of workers reactions to situations. Others are unsound staff management policies, poor working conditions compared to other organizations, bad working loading and inadequate supervision and control.
It's worth noting that these two approaches represent opposite ends of a spectrum, and in practice, negotiations may involve elements of both. The choice of approach depends on various factors, including the nature of the relationship between the parties, the specific issues being negotiated, and the prevailing labor relations climate.
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