Pluralist Perspective Case Study

Labor unions represent workers interests and the collective bargaining process provides a way to manage the conflict (Noe, 2003). More than ever, union employees have come to see unionizing as a way to achieve an

Consider the different methods used to give effective voice to employees and critically evaluate the importance of this to the employment relationship

Conflicts are realities of life and can be defined as a “situation of competition in which the parties involved are quite aware of the incompatibility of future condition whereby each party wishes to occupy a position that is incompatible with the wishes of the other” (Olu & Adesubomi, 2013, p. 2). They have no boundaries. They occur whether we like it or not, especially when there is disagreement and misunderstanding which stands as major key characteristics of human relationships. The relationship could be domestic, national, or international (Spiroska, 2014). Furthermore, conflicts happen when people are incompatible. In the organizational setting, conflict could arise due to failure of the employer, not honoring certain agreed bargaining. Henry (2009) indicated that if the workers’ right and prerogative is not appropriated rightly, it could cause conflict; such workers’

In “Problems and Promise in Pluralism,” Annalee R. Ward argues for academic freedom through the lens of confessional pluralism. Ward challenges the academy to revisit pluralism to ascertain whether various denominations can have an “engagement of differences in creative ways” that allow for coexistence in scholarship” (Eck 9). Although academy insists that pluralism tugs on personal integrity, closer examination show that “authentic peaceful coexistence” is a possible outcome when approached correctly (Ward 5).

Being part of a union gives members the benefit of negotiating with their employer collectively, as part of a group; giving them more power than if they were to negotiate as individuals (Silverman, n.d.). Overall, unions demand fairness which can lead to the unions influencing and changing ‘managerial decision-making at the workplace level’ for decisions in which employees are affected (Verma 2005). Unions are also beneficial to have present in the workplace because their bargaining of better condition will often benefit non-members as the conditions negotiated with management are implemented across the organization with no regard to membership status. Management is also able to avoid union disagreement by benchmarking conditions to that of an already unionized workplace.

As the expression of employees' dissatisfaction and differences with employers, conflict is regarded as bad and irrational for the organization and should be kept down through some forcible ways. Conflict can arise from employees' misunderstanding of the direction of the organisation or the poor communication between the staff and the management, enabling employees to substitute alternative agendas instead of the organisation's agenda (Bray, Deery, Walsh and Waring, 2005). Moreover, conflicts can arise from the poor management that caused by the management's failure to identify and meet employees' basic needs.

The pluralist frame of reference in management is a complete opposite of unitarist view in terms of unions. The pluralist management perspective consist of employees and employers bargaining in imperfect labor markets in the presence of pluralist conflict. Pluralist conflict is an employment relationship consisting of multiple interest such as employers might want flexibility, intense pace of work, lower Labor cost while employees might want

Prerogatives at all levels should take into consideration employers in the nation when it comes to making agreements with them. As such the prerogatives should not take higher priorities in a society with very many and large unions. The employers must be heard and a collective agreement between the different parties should be put into consideration. This explains that those in power should not take the power vested up them as a right, they should ensure that their subjects are well taken care of and their needs met.

“Collective voice achieves what a lone voice could never do”. Collective representation is also the foundation of a partnership relationship between employers, employees and unions that bring positive benefits for the business (Prosser, 2001).

Conflict or disagreement over the range of issues has become inherent aspect of modern organisational life. People from different cultural and education background work in an organisation. People working in an organisation may possess different goal and interest. People working in organisation may tend to different over a range of issues including organisational politics, organisational procedure, personal preference or political preference. It is also argued that conflict is essential characteristics of organisational life. Role of manager is paramount with regard to negotiating the conflict that arises in organisational life (http://www.sagepub.com/). Often lack of

The five antecedents of conflict are the “overlapping or unclear job boundaries, inadequate communication, unreasonable or unclear policies standards or rules, unreasonable deadlines or extreme time pressure, and competition for limited resources” (Kinicki A. Kreitner R.2008 p. 277).

The conflict presented in this case study is between two employees that perceive tension in the

Conflict is the process by which one party claims that his or her welfares are being

Besides, power imbalance between employer and employee in the workplace seems to be unavoidable. As noted by Wilkinson et al. (2014), employees are citizens who have the right to be informed and consulted; therefore, the aim of employee voice is to communicate with management and express employees’ concerns about their work situation. Nevertheless, in recent years, decreasing union density has gradually shifted the form of voice in most organisations and countries from collective and unionized channels to direct and individualized mechanisms (Wilkinson et al., 2014).

Within nearly every organisation or company conflicts occur from time to time, between the employers and the employees. This paper argues what kind of conflicts