Recent labor strikes highlight common conflict-resolution
pitfalls.
The latter half of 2012 has seen a slew of labor strikes
in the United States.
Strikes and lockouts have sprung up among groups as
diverse as Chicago Public Schools (CPS) teachers, National Hockey League (NHL)
players, and National Football League referees, not to mention American
Airlines pilots, who staged an unofficial work slowdown as part of their
dispute with management.
Why so many management-labor impasses?
The sluggish economy has caused many struggling employers
to take a firm stance when negotiating salary, pensions, and benefits with
labor unions.
And, amid a movement among city and state governments to
weaken collective bargaining through new laws and tough negotiations, some
labor unions are fighting back in the form of strikes to keep their power from
eroding.
No one likes strikes. They can be financially devastating
to employers and employees alike.
And because strikes by their very nature inconvenience
the public, whatever popular support striking workers gain may fade when a
strike drags on over time.
In an ideal world, management and labor would avoid
strikes altogether by listening to each other closely, exploring potential
trades across issues, and working collaboratively on proposals.
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