Collbarg Essay Research Paper A Great Social

Collbarg Essay, Research Paper

A Great Social Invention.”There’s strength in numbers”This is a clich , or could even be called a proverb that most of us have heard at some stagein our lives. It also lies at the heart of collective bargaining, and it provides areasonable, although simplistic reason for the use of collective bargaining, and also givesus an indication of where and for whom it is most useful. Collective bargaining’s origins lie in one of man’s primary instincts; defence. In anindustrial relations context this is defence of proper working conditions, secure employmentand proper pay. Collective bargaining allowed this by gaining pay increases through theincreased power of the workers as a joint force. In this context I see collective bargainingas more of an economic and political invention which has had an influence on the socialaspects of employment and living. Because of this I would have to say that collectivebargaining is not a great social invention simply because it was not a social invention. Butit does have social benefits, by providing more economic stability for those who partake init among other things which I will discuss in this essay. Collective bargaining also has itsdisadvantages which I will also discuss. These advantages and disadvantages fall on bothsides of the collective bargaining fence; the employees and employers. But what exactly is collective bargaining. The answer to that depends on ones viewpoint. What are the social benefits of collective bargaining. And who do these benefits affect.These are but a few of the questions I intend to answer in the course of the next 2000 or sowords. To put this essay in context I must say what I feel collective bargaining is and what itspurposes are.I see collective bargaining, in its most basic form, as the process by which an organisedgroup of employees, in the form of trade unions, negotiate with employers, theirrepresentatives or their associations in relation to any aspect of employment within theemployers organisation. The reason that collective bargaining and trade unions are used isthe reason cited in the first paragraph; “There’s strength in numbers”. The individualthreat by a single employee to withhold labour is not very great. But when the majority of aworkforce in an organisation threaten to strike, or threaten any other form of industrialaction this threat becomes altogether more substantial. Collective bargaining gives redressto the imbalance of power between individual workers and employers (Gunnigle et al, 1995). This is the main purpose that collective bargaining is used in industrial relations, andessentially gives collective bargaining a political purpose; the equalisation of power. Oncethis extra power is attained, collective bargaining is then used for primarily economicpurposes. It is only in recent times that social issues have been included in thenegotiations in collective bargaining. As this process tends to lead to equal pay for allworkers doing the same work, there is as a consequence a social benefit; equality amongstthe workforce. While this can have its downside, namely complacency among the employees asthere is little incentive to do better in work, this disadvantage has been partly eroded inrecent times with the advent of productivity deals, which I will discuss in more detaillater in this essay.Collective bargaining is also a political institution in that it regulates and defines theinteraction between trade unions and management. In a social context, the consequences ofthis is a system for regulating industrial conflict. This can help ensure that anyindustrial conflict is kept within reasonable bounds, and that in most cases the moremilitant elements in trade unions are kept under control by virtue of the fact that themajority of the workforce see an alternative avenue of dealing with disputes. I believe thatthis consequence of collective bargaining contradicts the optimistic Marxist view that tradeunions and collective bargaining are a school for socialism and a potential revolutionaryforce. It does confirm the pessimistic view that it ensures that trade unions will never beany more than trade unions, and that collective bargaining oils the wheels of capitalism. But that’s not a bad thing at all, and is one of the great social benefits of collectivebargaining. So how exactly does collective bargaining oil the wheels of capitalism.Collective bargaining provides management with a method for dealing with employees in anequitable way. But not only equitable, but also seen to be equitable. If areas of commoninterest are maximised, and stressed in the collective bargaining process, this canreinforce a an acceptance of common interest by the workforce (Purcell, 1979). The processof collective bargaining also legitimises trade unions within the company or employingorganisation. Purcell also contends that this legitimacy can give trade union members asense of belonging to the organisation (1979). These three things; the sense of equality,common interest and belonging will make workers more content, minimise conflict and create afeeling of stability within the company. Collective bargaining, when agreements that comefrom it are for set time periods, can allow management to plan for the future based on thoseagreements and the knowledge that the unions are likely to cooperate. All of the above oilthe wheels of a capitalist society. And as I both live in and believe in a largelycapitalist soc