Conditions for Successful Collective Bargaining

1.  Favourable Political and Social Climate:

The global history of collective bargaining amply supports the notion that the presence of a favourable political and social environment is a prerequisite for successful collective bargaining. In the nations where collective bargaining has had the proper backing from the government and popular support, it has made progress in resolving labour issues. From this vantage point, collective bargaining in India has not been helped by the political environment.

It is not far to locate the cause. There are several trade unions around the nation that are supported by various political parties. These labour unions give preference to workers based on their divergent political beliefs rather than the substance of the problems at hand in conflicts. In addition, a profusion of legislative regulations have been added, which has negatively impacted the nation’s environment for collective bargaining.

Trade Unions: Employees should have the basic right to organise trade unions to defend their interests, just like in a democratic nation like ours. Effective collective bargaining is facilitated by trade union strength, and vice versa. A trade union and its representatives have to be acknowledged by the employer as well.

Problem-Solving Attitude: In order to come to a compromise during negotiations, both sides should adopt this mindset. Neither side ought to take on a combative or demanding assistant. The negotiation teams need to adopt a give-and-take strategy. It implies that based on their respective powers, one side may be able to get concessions over the other.

Data Accessibility: Information and data are used as inputs while making decisions. For collective bargaining to be effective, therefore, the availability of necessary data is a prerequisite. Although the employer provides the necessary facts for a group discussion, the union representatives must also accept and have faith in the company’s data.

Constant Communication: Sometimes collective bargaining fails to provide a solution. Instead, there can be a negotiation standstill, or deadlock. In this situation, the conversation should not come to a stop but rather go on using a problem-solving strategy. Putting the contentious topics on hold for the time being might aid in reducing differences and advancing the conversation. Continued conversation may enhance the likelihood of agreement..