Integrative Bargaining Case

Considering our main objective, we will pursue an integrative bargaining strategy. A integrative bargaining plan is centered on mutual trust and collaboration to find a “win-win” situation that advances the interests of both parties. Not only do we want to increase employee compensation and improve job security, we also want to increase total employee satisfaction as well as uphold the promises made by union representatives to employees. We will represent and address the interest of all employees, both young and old. Furthermore, we also wants to cultivate a good working relationship with management, which will benefit workers in the future.

From the union perspective, the main goals are (1) we must attempt to meet the promises made by Bill

We are particularly concerned with this because of the Newton plant. The Newton plant is not yet unionized, and labor costs generally are much lower there. We, as well as our workers, are afraid that the introduction of new technology to keep the Grandville plant competitive will cause layoffs, hence why our workers want more worker control over production and technology, and why we as advocates will be firm on that issue. The worst case scenario, however, is that management decides that it is not worth it to keep the Grandville plant operating at all, and will switch all operations over to the Newton plant. So understanding that management might take our firm stance on increasing worker control and improving pension benefits as a sign that the Grandville plant will be less responsive than ever to business needs, we will also propose that management introduce profit-sharing. By tying the businesses profit directly to the income of the workers, management can rest a bit easier knowing that our workers won’t be purposefully crippling the business by refusing technology that might improve plant efficiency and business profitability, because that would very well hurt the workers,

While it is difficult to cultivate more total power, the union can increase its relative power by working with the community and its members in preparation for a strike or a prolonged bargaining period. The union can also hold campaigns to increase union perspective in the community, which increases its relative power. Furthermore, the union needs to analyze management’s total and relative power. Although the economy is currently struggling, the union should try and gather information about the company’s financial health, which gives them a better understanding of reasonable demands to make at the bargaining table. The union should also have an opened dialogue with management and communicate some key of their demands. To further understand the bargaining environment, the union should find key benchmarks at comparable companies and use that information at the bargaining table. Prior to bargaining, the union needs to resolve its internal tension and communicate with management. Since the town has a strong union presence, the union has a good opportunity to achieve meaningful gain for its members. In order to do so, research and preparation will be