INTRODUCTION

The concept of collective bargaining attained significance only after 1962. The phrase collective bargaining
is said to be coined by Sydney and Beatrice Webb and Great Britain. It is made up from two words
collective which means “group” and bargaining which means “proposals and counter proposals”. So it is a
process in which the representatives of a labour organization & the representatives of business organization
meet and attempt to negotiate a contract or agreement, which specifies the nature of employee-employer
union relationship.

DEFINITION

“collective bargaining is an agreement between a single employer or an association of employers on the one
hand and a labour union on the other, which regulates the terms and conditions of employment”

-TUDWIG TELLER

collective bargaining is a process of discussion and negotiation between two parties, one or both of whom is
a group of persons acting in contest…. more specifically it is the procedure by which an employer or
employers and a group of employees agree upon the conditions of work”

(THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SOCIAL SCIENCE)

OBJECTIVES OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

 Resolve differences over knotty issues.
 Protect the interests of workers through collective action.
 Carry out negotiations voluntarily, without interference from a third party.
 Arrive at an agreement through a process of give and take.
 To arrive at an agreement on wages and other conditions of employment.
 To have peaceful co-existence for the mutual benefits and progress.
 To maintain employee-employer relation bilateral.
 To resolve all conflicts in a mutually agreeable manner

CHARACTERISTICS:
1.Collective: Collective bargaining is a two way group process where the employers representative and
employees representatives sit together to negotiate terms of employment.

2.Strength: Both the parties in collective bargaining are strong and equal.

3.Voluntary: Both parties come to the negotiation table voluntarily in order to go in particular negotiation.
It is based on discussion, mutual trust and understanding.

4.Formal: It is a formal process in which certain employment related issues are to be regulated at National,
organization and workplace levels.

5.Flexible: It is a flexible and continuous process and not fixed or static.

6.Improvement: It is a method to improve the employer-employees relation in organization and resolve

management and employees conflicts.

7.Representation: Collective bargaining is between the representatives of employees and management. The
management does not directly deal with employees. It carries negotiations with the
representatives/executives of unions and association.
8.Dynamic: Collective bargaining is dynamic, that go on changing over a period and grows and expand the
way of agreement, the way of implementation and way of discussion.

9.Continuous: Collective bargaining is continuous and begins with agreement, the implementation of
agreement and further negotiations.

10.Bipartite Process: Because the employee and employers representatives negotiate directly face to face
across the table.

TYPES OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

1. CONJUNCTIVE OR DISTRIBUTIVE BARGAINING : Conjunctive bargaining is the

most common type of bargaining & involves zero-sum negotiations, in other words, one side wins
and the other loses. Both parties try to maximize their respective gains. They try to settle economic
issues such as wages, benefits, bonus, etc. For Example, Unions negotiate for maximum wages & the
management wants to yield as little as possible – while getting things done through workers.

2. COOPERATIVE /INTEGRATIVE BARGAINING: Integrative bargaining is similar to

problem solving sessions in which both sides are trying to reach a mutually beneficial alternative, i.e.
a win-win situation. Both the employer & the union try to resolve the conflict to the benefit of both
parties. Both sides share information about their interests and concerns and they create a list of
possible solutions to best meet everyone’s needs.

3. PRODUCTIVITY BARGAINING: A form of collective bargaining leading to a productivity

agreement in which management offers a pay raise in exchange for alterations to employee working
practices designed to increase productivity. Productivity bargaining has been described as "an
agreement in which advantages of one kind or another, such as higher wages or increased leisure, are
given to workers in return for agreement on their part to accept changes in working practices or in
methods or in organization of work which will lead to more efficient working.

4. COMPOSITE BARGAINING: Workers believed that productivity bargaining agreements

increased their workloads. Rationalization, introduction of new technology, tight productivity norms
have added to this burden and made the life of a worker some what uneasy. As an answer to such
problems, labor has come in favor of composite bargaining. In this method, labor bargains for wages
as usual, but goes a step further demanding equity in matters relating to work norms, employment
levels and safe working environment.

ISSUES OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

1. Wages and working conditions

2. Work norms

3. Incentive payments

4. Job security
5. Changes in technology

6. Work tools, techniques and practices

7. Staff transfers and promotions

8. Grievances

9. Disciplinary matters

10. Health and safety

11. Insurance and benefits

12. Union recognition

13. Union activities/responsibilities

14. Management rights

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING MEMBERS

 REGISTERED NURSES
 PHYSICIANS
 OTHER PROFESSIONALS
 TECHNICAL EMPLOYEES
 NON –PROFESSIONALS

PROCESS OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING The collective bargaining process involve five

steps:

Propose : It involves the initial opening statements and the possible options that exist to resolve them.

Discuss : Both parties decide the rules that will guide the negotiations. Prepare: This phase involves
composition of a negotiation team.

Bargain: Negotiations are easy if a problem solving attitude is adopted. This stage comprises the time when
drafting of agreements take place.

Settlement: This stage is described as consisting of effective joint implementation of the agreement
through shared visions, strategic planning and negotiated change.

ADVANTAGES :
 Contract to guide standards.
 Participation in decision making process.
 All union members and management must confirm to terms of contract without exception
 Process exists to question manager’s authority if member feels something was done unjustly.
 Nurses gain control of practice.
 Improve professional relationships.
 Professionalism can be promoted.
  Protect patients from inadequate and unsafe care.
 Give economic security.
 Ensure that nurses have fair pay, good benefits and safe working conditions.
 Provide power.
 Establish effective channels of communication with decision-makers.

DISADVANTAGES :
 Reduced individuality.
 Other union members may outvote one’s decisions.
 Disputes are not handled with individual and management only. Must pay union dues even if one
does not support unionization.