Pros and Cons of Collective Bargaining
Pros and Cons of Collective Bargaining
Section I: General advantages and disadvantages of collective bargaining
Pros
• Can lead to high-performance workplace where labor and management jointly engage in problem solving, addressing issues on an equal standing.
• Provides legally based bilateral relationship.
• Management’s rights are clearly spelled out.
• Employers’ and employees’ rights protected by binding collective bargaining agreement.
• Multi-year contracts may provide budgetary predictability on salary and other compensation issues.
• Unions may become strong allies in protecting higher education from the effects of an economic slowdown.
• Promotes fairness and consistency in employment policies and personnel decisions within and across institutions.
• Employees may choose whether they want union representation.
• A strong labor management partnership may enable the workforce development needed for engaging the technology revolution.
Cons
• Management’s authority and freedom are much more restricted by negotiated rules.
• Creates significant potential for polarization between employees and managers.
• Disproportionate effect of relatively few active employees on the many in the bargaining unit. This is particularly the case when collective bargaining involves a system-wide structure of elections.
• Increases bureaucratization and requires longer time needed for decision making.
• Increases participation by external entities (e.g., arbitrators, State Labor Relations Board) in higher education’s decision making.
• Protects the status quo, thereby inhibiting innovation and change. This is particularly the case when the change involves privatizations.
• More difficult for employees at smaller campuses to have their voices heard.
• Higher management costs associated with negotiating and administering the agreements.
• Eliminates
Section I: General advantages and disadvantages of collective bargaining
Pros
• Can lead to high-performance workplace where labor and management jointly engage in problem solving, addressing issues on an equal standing.
• Provides legally based bilateral relationship.
• Management’s rights are clearly spelled out.
• Employers’ and employees’ rights protected by binding collective bargaining agreement.
• Multi-year contracts may provide budgetary predictability on salary and other compensation issues.
• Unions may become strong allies in protecting higher education from the effects of an economic slowdown.
• Promotes fairness and consistency in employment policies and personnel decisions within and across institutions.
• Employees may choose whether they want union representation.
• A strong labor management partnership may enable the workforce development needed for engaging the technology revolution.
Cons
• Management’s authority and freedom are much more restricted by negotiated rules.
• Creates significant potential for polarization between employees and managers.
• Disproportionate effect of relatively few active employees on the many in the bargaining unit. This is particularly the case when collective bargaining involves a system-wide structure of elections.
• Increases bureaucratization and requires longer time needed for decision making.
• Increases participation by external entities (e.g., arbitrators, State Labor Relations Board) in higher education’s decision making.
• Protects the status quo, thereby inhibiting innovation and change. This is particularly the case when the change involves privatizations.
• More difficult for employees at smaller campuses to have their voices heard.
• Higher management costs associated with negotiating and administering the agreements.
• Eliminates