Industrial RelationsConflicts & Social Dialogues

Prof. Jorge V. Sibal

UP SOLAIR

Conflicts in Industrial Relations A conflict is a fight, struggle or

misunderstanding between two or more parties, usually between management and labor over scarce resources, power and status.

A conflict means disequilibrium in the IR system.

Conflicts in Industrial Relations Conflicts are usually caused by environmental

changes- economic, lego-political or socio-cultural.

It may mean changes in technologies, tasks, job duties, skills requirements or a new set of values and norms.

Types of Conflicts (C.J. Margerison, 1969)

1. Distributive

2. Structural

3. Human Relations

Distributive Conflict concerns economics, how the gains of the

enterprise will be shared among the IR actors – wages, profits, benefits, etc.

can be resolved through various methods: consultation, consensus building, collective bargaining (bipartite or tripartite), co-determination or committee system.

Structural Conflict concerns politics, leadership and

organizational sociology caused by the failure of the organization to

adapt its structures to the changing environment

can be resolved via organizational structuring/restructuring and technological improvement

Human Relations Conflict concerns social psychology caused by personality differences of people

with different views, value systems or ideologies

results in individual alienation, individual and group conflicts

conflicts resolution range from counseling to organizational discipline

The Conflict ProcessStage 1Personal Opposition or Incompatibility

Stage 2Cognition and Personalization

Stage 3Intentions

Stage 4Behavior

Stage 5Outcomes

Increased Group Performance

Decreased Group Performance

Conflict Handling Intentions>Competing>Collaborating>Compromising>Avoiding>Accommoda- ting

Perceived Conflict

Felt Conflict

Overt Conflict>Party’s behavior>Other’s Reaction

Antecedent Conditions

How to resolve conflicts by unifying the diverging interests of the IR

actors conflicting parties should put emphasis on

common interests and values rather than their differences in interests and ideologies

How to resolve conflicts In Marxist dialectics, if the conflict is non-

antagonistic, the actors should unite first in order to struggle

Conflicting parties unite if they have a common goal and a common enemy

Communications and conflict resolution conflicts can be solved by negotiations and

communications if the needs and aspirations of the conflicting parties are compatible, meaning they share common philosophies and beliefs and their conflicts were caused only by wrong perceptions

conflict resolution should achieve a win-win situation

Communications and conflict resolution communications may lead to more intensified

conflicts if the needs and aspirations of the conflicting parties are incompatible

It will result to a deadlock where either or both parties are injured in a win-loss or loss-loss situation

Social Dialogues Will work only if the parties in conflict have

common aspirations (or vision/ideology), values and goals

With the acceleration of the ASEAN common market, Philippine employers and workers are confronted with common problems and aspirations.

The employers and labor groups under the Fair Trade Alliance affirmed the need for the labor and employers to work together in order to

survive the crisis. Hence, PELSPI was organized.

Common Principles in social dialogue

1. Transparency and good governance

2. Social justice and fairness

3. Sincerity, no biases and open mind

4. Common goals and aspirations:a. Productivity

b. Competitiveness

c. Decent Work

Workshop- Force Field AnalysisSTEPS:1. Identify the current state of the situation.2. Envision the desired state3. Identify the forces restraining change.4. Identify the forces that support or encourage change.5. Develop strategies to: a. reduce the forces restraining change. b. increase the forces for change (or capitalize on existing drivers).

Productivity

Competitiveness

Decent Work