The pitfalls of collective bargainingWhat is collective bargaining? This term is defined by Merriam-Webster (2014) as discussions between an employer and union leaders about how much a group of workers will be paid, how many hours they will work, etc. The main goal of this negotiation process is to create a favorable work environment to make the task or work more efficient, profitable, safe or rewarding. As organizations adopt these methods, the likelihood of employers or employees being taken for granted or harmed decreases. In many cases, associations use this tactic specifically to establish a common practice and convey a message about the social change they wish to envision. In these cases, multiple parties or groups of personnel may be included. Collective bargaining involves negotiations between an employer and a group of employees to define workplace circumstances. The outcome of collective bargaining processes is a cooperative settlement. Workers are often represented during negotiations by a union group or another union group. Collective bargaining is governed by federal and state laws, administrative agency regulations, and court decisions. In areas where federal and state laws overlap, state laws are preempted (Mathis & Jackson, 2007). The primary legal organization governing collective bargaining is the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). This entity unequivocally grants employees the privilege of bargaining collectively and joining unions. The NLRA was initially sanctioned by Congress in 1935 under its authority to control interstate commerce. This concerns most private non-agricultural sector workers and employers involved in some aspect of interstate relations through collective bargaining strategies. Looking at the literature and research, businesses are less susceptible to collective bargaining practices than staff as they find new staff. However, finding a new job is much more difficult for workers. This is the main reason why employees will strive to negotiate fair terms to satisfy their demands. The desired objective of collective bargaining is to maintain a healthy relationship between employees and employers to ensure that all operations are carried out efficiently.Resources (2014). Extracted from (nd). Retrieved from www.merriam-webster.com (nd). Retrieved from http://www.ocb-nyc.org/Collective negotiation. (nd). Retrieved from http://www.aaup.org/Mathis, R. and Jackson, J. (2007). Human resources management. (13th ed.). Mason, OH: Southwest Cengage Learning. DOI: www.cengagebrain.com