The fast-growing global economy is putting pressure on Corporate America to end the age-old adversarial relationship between management and labor. Neither unions nor management can any longer afford the devastating costs of strikes, walkouts, and slow downs. Such actions will only serve to give foreign-based companies a competitive edge. Just imagine what would happen now if either General Motors workers or Delphi workers were to go on strike. It would give a green-light to non-domestic auto companies to drive in and fill the void.
Labor has a responsibility to help management find new ways to create wealth. If labor does not meet the challenge, it will commit a self-destructive economic injury.
And management must learn how to communicate more effectively with labor and to prevent labor relations problems before they arise. It needs an action plan for effective labor relations as much as it requires a business plan.
Both sides must work together to get to “yes.”
There must be joint efforts to increase productivity, decrease absenteeism, and raise profits. If there is no joint agreement, workers will see more and more jobs headed to low-wage, foreign countries; and management will find itself in a competitively disadvantageous position.
