Consensual Bargaining

Abstract

The conventional adversarial model of labor-managemen! negotiations and the unions' role in protecting its members' economic interests appear to conflict with egalitarian relationships, consensual decision making, and social movement goals of small collectively oriented workplaces. Based on a study of the unionization of fourteen Canadian and six American battered-women's programs, the process b which these conflicts are acknowledged and resolved is examine (Y . A new notion of consensual bareainine is " "developed.The conventional model of union-management negotiations creates a value conflict within small, collectively-oriented workplaces and between labor unions and agency staff. The aim of adversary bargaining, to secure the most for one's members, contradicts the aim of consensual decision making, to seek a common good. Moreover, this tension grows when the agency is identified with a social movement and thus may oppose realignment of its paid staff with an external organization.