Is there a better way to discuss labor contracts?

[Omaha Steve]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/virgin/387528_virgin13.html

Last updated November 12, 2008 7:02 p.m. PT

By BILL VIRGIN
P-I COLUMNIST

BOEING CHIEF EXECUTIVE James McNerney recently noted the conclusion of contract negotiations with Machinists, and a nearly two-month strike, with this rumination on the nature of labor relations at the plane maker:

"The fact that it took 58 days to resolve the dispute -- let alone the fact that we had a strike at all -- reflects the failure of a process that company leaders and union leaders alike need to seriously address," McNerney wrote in an e-mail to employees. "The path to an agreement was longer and more torturous than any of us wanted. In retrospect, we all wish the differences closed at the end could have been closed much sooner. And none of us want to go through this again next time around."

The more cynical might read the underlying message as, "If you would just approve whatever we hand you, there wouldn't be any problems and your jobs wouldn't be in long-term peril."

To which members of the IAM might be tempted to counter, "Just send us a contract that provides what we want and there's no problem in need of fixing."

Relations between management and the rank and file at most companies, not just Boeing, are rarely warm and fuzzy even in the most placid of times. The stress and inherent conflict of contract negotiations tend to bring out the worst in lingering resentments, bruised feelings, score-settling and grabs for advantage.

Thus it is understandable that one side, or both, will emerge with feelings ranging from "we lost" to "we'll never go through this again" -- even though at the expiration of the new agreement both sides will, in fact, go through that again

Still, when McNerney implores that "for the sake of our customers, our company and our employees, we have to find a better way," he does raise an interesting point about the way management and organized labor deal with one another.

Is there a better way?

FULL story at link.

[pberq]

1. For one thing, CEO salaries are way too high

Another thing managements could do to improve the situation is to treat employees as partners rather than underlings.

To me that is the biggest problem - the condescending attitude of management.