Volume 2 Issue 5

Labour Relations

On any given day in Canada, a number of labour issues are being disputed. Mediation, arbitration, negotiations, walkouts, strikes, lockouts, government intervention, work to rule-- the list is endless. For the most part, the time and money spent to resolve these issues is excessive; too, the individuals involved in bringing these processes to a satisfactory conclusion are usually stressed and overworked.

This type of pressure leads to ineffective communications, which in turn tend to lengthen the time leading to settlement of the dispute. Most union and management leaders believe that the majority of the professional conflicts they face should not be difficult to resolve. Most leaders in organizations have similar objectives; they face the same difficulties and obstacles in reaching those objectives. Simple situations quickly become complicated and even inflammatory, not because the objective is complicated, but because of the way people feel in these situations.

Many leaders in the work force today consider how they feel about a conflict or an individual is irrelevant to getting the job done or reaching their corporate objective. However difficult it is, emotions must not be allowed to interfere with how the dispute is communicated. Very quickly the objective can change to something of a personal nature, which becomes a win-lose approach that is detrimental to achieving agreement. Such behaviour is also hurtful to working relationships and spills over into how future disputes are handled. This is how mountains are made out of molehills.

All parties involved would benefit if personal feelings (personal conflict) could be separated from the corporate objective (professional conflict). In most cases, the professional conflict becomes simple to resolve. Communication remains assertive rather than aggressive and emotions do not delay a successful outcome.

It is unrealistic to think that labour disputes will not occur, and that all conflicts will be resolved quickly. The bottom line, however, in any labour dispute is to reach agreement, not to like or dislike the individuals involved. Both parties are there to do a job that will affect people other than themselves. The key to successful labour relations is effective communication, assertive behaviour and a professional approach.

Valerie Harrison is a facilitator with The Management Development Group and a regular contributor to In Charge.