FMCS Principles Of Labor-Management Cooperation

1.       Labor-management cooperation provides an opportunity for labor and management to jointly resolve problems outside of the crisis environment caused by contract negotiations.

2.       Labor-management cooperation does not require either party to lose their identities or relinquish their roles. Both parties must recognize that cooperation, problem solving, and long range planning serve the interest of the employer, the employees, and the union.

3.       Labor-management cooperation should be seen as a long-term effort designed to improve organizational effectiveness and not merely as a means to create problem solving teams. Labor-Management cooperation must be fully integrated with contract negotiation and administration as well as organizational goals and values.

4.       Successful labor-management cooperation depends upon the quality of the initiation. The initiation of the process, its structure, ownership, control, and implementation must be joint. The plan should contain provisions for monitoring and evaluation.

5.       Change is essential for the survival and growth of any organization. Labor and management must be willing to modify their values and norms in order to institutionalize cooperation and participation.

6.       Successful change depends upon an accurate understanding of the status quo, the defining of a vision for the future, and jointly creating a realistic means to fulfill that vision.

7.       Labor-management cooperation can aid positive change, but is not by itself a cure for shifts in the economic, political, and social arenas.

8.       The greatest assets of any organization are its human resources. Each human being has the potential to strengthen and change the organization, both individually and collectively.

9.       Labor-management cooperation should result in measurable outcomes. These outcomes, equally weighed, include human development, human dignity, democracy, quality, and productivity.

10.   Adequate safeguards should be written into the process, including joint control, a written agreement, fundamental fairness and adherence to the principles of labor-management cooperation.

11.   A successful labor-management cooperation process establishes structures for:

Direct and representative participation in decision making open to all members of the organization.

Frequent and timely feedback of information and rewards.

The sharing of information and expertise.

Guarantees of individual rights and liberties (fundamental fairness, i. e., providing for the right of review and appeal of proposals).

Establishing supporting attitudes and values and translating those into behaviors.

12.   Labor-management cooperation must be uniquely tailored to reflect the needs and culture of the There is no one formula to be imposed from the outside, but there is a set of specific location.

13.   fundamental principles necessary to guide initiation processes and design.

14.   A successful labor-management cooperation process is one that requires enormous commitment from both parties and one which will not be held hostage when problems occur in the relationship.

15.   A successful labor-management process is not "free." There are significant costs involving time, resources, and training. The parties must be willing to view these costs as an initial investment from which they expect to gain a long-term return in improved quality, productivity, employment security, and mutual growth.

16.   Labor-management cooperation, with its underlying values of democratizing and humanizing the work place, is simply a preferred way to live and work.

17.   Labor-management cooperation is enhanced by joint decision making, participative management, consensus techniques, and improved skills in problem solving and communications.