Collective Bargaining
Collective bargaining is made of 2 words, collective: which
implies group action through its representatives & bargaining: which
suggests negotiating
Thus it implies,
“collective negotiation of a contract between the management’s representatives
on one side and those of the workers on the other.”
According to Edwin B.Flippo, “Collective
Bargaining is a process in which the representatives of a labor organization
and the representatives of the business organization meet and attempt to
negotiate a contract or agreement which specifies the nature of the
employee-employer union relationship.”
Structure/Levels of Collective Bargaining
Plant
level: It is the
basic or micro level unit. Bargaining conducted between the management and CBA
of the same plant.
Industry
level: Several units
in same industry form an association/unions and bargain for common cause
National
level: Here the
terms of reference and shape are much wider though such agreements are not so
common in Bangladesh. Here the bargaining is between federation(s) of unions
and an employer’s association.
Types of Collective Bargaining
Distributive
or Conjunctive bargaining:
It involves zero-sum negotiations, in other words, one side wins and the other
loses. e.g. wages, benefits, bonus, etc.
Cooperative
bargaining: In
Cooperative or Integrative bargaining both the parties may gain or at least
neither party loses. e.g. better training program.
Productivity
bargaining: In
Productivity bargaining worker’s wages and benefits are negotiated against
their productivity. That means, the more they productive, the better wages and
benefit they will get.
Composite
bargaining: In
Composite bargaining, worker’s bargain usually for wages comparing with their
work level, employment level and environmental hazards etc.
