Collective negotiation “There is strength in numbers” It’s a cliché, or could even be called a proverb that most of us have heard at some point given of our lives. This is what is at the heart of collective bargaining and constitutes a reasonable reason for resorting to collective bargaining. It also gives us an indication of where and for whom it is most useful. The origins of collective bargaining lie in one of man's primal instincts; defense. In the context of industrial relations, this is the defense of adequate working conditions, secure employment and adequate remuneration. Collective bargaining made this possible by achieving wage increases through the increased power of workers as a common force. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essayBut what exactly is collective bargaining? The answer to this question depends on one's point of view. What are the social benefits of collective bargaining? And who are affected by these benefits? I view collective bargaining, in its most basic form, as the process by which an organized group of employees, in the form of unions, negotiate with employers, their representatives or associations over any aspect of employment within of the employer's organization. The reason why collective bargaining and unions are used is the reason cited in the first paragraph; “Unity is strength”. The individual threat to the company posed by a single employee having their work suspended is not very great. But when the majority of employees in an organization threaten to strike, or threaten any other form of industrial action, that threat becomes much more significant. Collective bargaining helps address the power imbalance between individual workers and employers. This is the main objective of collective bargaining in employment relations and essentially gives it a political objective; the equalization of powers. Once this additional power is acquired, collective bargaining is then used for essentially economic purposes. Only recently have social issues been included in collective bargaining. As this process tends to lead to equal pay for all workers performing the same work, a social advantage results; equality within staff. This has its drawback. When there is little incentive to exceed the efforts of your colleagues, it can create problems. In particular, employee complacency, but this disadvantage has partly diminished in recent times with the advent of productivity agreements. Collective bargaining is also a political institution in that it regulates and defines the interaction between unions and management. In a social context, this results in a system for regulating labor conflicts. This can help ensure that any industrial dispute is kept within reasonable limits and that, in most cases, the more militant elements of the unions are kept in check because the majority of workers see another way to resolve the issues. conflicts. Unions are not the seeds of socialism as some claim, but the spacer that allows businesses and workers to participate fairly in the market. So how exactly does collective bargaining “oil the wheels of capitalism”? Collective bargaining provides management with a method to treat employees fairly. If the domains.