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Labor conflicts and methods of their resolution

Content

Introdution

Despite the multiplicity of scientific approaches to the definition of conflict, there are two main trends. First. A broad definition of conflict is given. Conflict is seen as a clash of opposing positions, opinions, assessments, and ideas that people try to resolve through beliefs or actions. Second. A narrow definition of conflict is given. The conflict is considered as the conflicting action and behavior of the parties; the collision of interaction caused by the opposite direction of goals and interests, positions and views.

So, conflict in General is a collision of interaction caused by the opposite direction of goals and interests, positions and views. Conflict (conflict situation) as a type of social and labor relations is a stage of aggravation of contradictions in labor relations.

Labor conflict is a kind of social conflict. Labor conflict is a special type of communication, which is based on contradictions in the system of social and labor relations. Labor conflict is a clash of oppositely directed actions of employees caused by divergence of interests, values and norms of behavior [1]. It is expressed in the mutual opposition of the members of the team, which is accompanied by a state of tension in the relationship. Labor conflict depending on the stage of development can have different forms – signs of manifestation: silent discontent, boycott, open discontent, quarrel, strike, labor dispute, mass layoffs, etc.

Objective components of the conflict

The main participants of the conflict. They are usually referred to as parties or opposing forces. These are the subjects of the conflict who directly commit active actions against each other [2]. Participants in the labor conflict can be very different depending on the level of structural organization of the subjects of social and labor relations. These are: individual & ndash; employee, employer (entrepreneur), state.

Quite common is the fact that the conflict is trying to identify the parties that first started the conflict actions. It is called the initiator of the conflict. If one of the parties initiates a conflict, it does not mean that it is not right.

Support group. The complexity of the conflict as a social phenomenon is that in addition to the main participants of the conflict there may be forces (individuals, groups) that share the positions of the warring parties [3]. These forces either directly, actively support the main participants by their actions, or by their presence and tacit consent can influence the development of the conflict. Although individual incidents occur without witnesses, the outcome of the conflict is largely determined by the existence of support groups.

Other participant. This group consists of those actors who have an episodic influence on the course and results of the conflict. In the literature, the use of the terms instigators and organizers of the conflict is becoming common. Instigator – this is a subject (person, organization, etc.) that pushes the other party to the conflict. The instigator himself may not participate in this conflict [4]. Its task is to provoke, unleash conflict and its development. Organizer – the subject planning the conflict and its development providing various ways of providing and protection of participants, etc. In the production organization it can be the formal or informal leader, trade Union, etc.

Functions of labor conflicts

  • Signal. The emergence of labor conflict indicates the emergence of disagreements in the system of social and labor relations, the aggravation of contradictions in the life of the production organization and the fact that the parties entered into business contacts to solve urgent problems.
  • Integrative. Labor conflict leads to the fact that a single before the team is divided into separate groups, the members of which are United among themselves; the parties come to the conclusion that it is not expedient to achieve success alone and combine their efforts to achieve the goal. As a result, there is a change in the balance of individual, group and collective interests. For example. The conflict of workers with the administration, on the one hand, strengthen the confrontation in relations with the administration employees, and, on the other, increases the cohesion of the workers.
  • Innovative. During the labor conflict, new rules and norms of labor interaction are developed, with the help of which obstacles in the system of social and labor relations that interfere with the economic and social development of the collective are overcome. New norms of behavior, values and attitudes of the subjects of the conflict are developed.
  • Positive (negative). The positive function of the labor conflict is precisely to improve the system of social and labor relations. If the labor conflict leads to the disintegration of production and is accompanied by tangible losses of resources (production, economic, labor, etc.) then the negative function of the conflict [7].
  • Socio-psychological the function of labor conflict is to change the socio-psychological, emotional climate in the production organization. Labor conflict is often accompanied by emotional tension in the relationship of the subjects of the conflict, individual employees and members of the administration appear mutual hostility, irritability, intemperance in communication, which significantly complicates the search for a mutually acceptable solution to the problem due to the emerging stresses of its participants, through the confrontation of private and public interests.

Forms of resolving a labor conflict

Figure 1 – Forms of resolving a labor conflict
(the animation consists of 9 frames with a delay of 500 ms between frames, the number of playback cycles – 3, size – 40 kilobytes)

Types of labor conflicts

Among the typical causes of labor conflicts are:

  • shortcomings in the work of the administration in the planning and organization of labor – this is all due to the violation of the principles of management;
  • bureaucratic attitude of the administration to the interests of employees;
  • inaction of the administration in improving working conditions;
  • ignorance or ignoring by the employer of norms of the current labor legislation;
  • the devaluation of the values of work culture;
  • reduction of labor and social guarantees of workers;
  • low wages, unfair prices;
  • late payment of wages;
  • misuse of funds by managers;
  • violation of contractual obligations for deliveries, payment, etc;
  • rising unemployment;
  • impoverishment of the population, including employees.

Among the forms (signs) of discontent and resolution of contradictions in the system of social and labor relations are:

  • Silent discontent, boycott. Quite a common form of manifestation of labor conflict. A model can be a situation when, for example, due to delays in wages, employees try to minimize communication with the management of the company, do not want to speak at production meetings, etc.
  • Open discontent – written or written statements. This can be: speeches at meetings of employees, appeal to higher management, appeal to the press on radio and television, appeal for support to MPs, parties, making demands directly or through intermediaries (for example, trade unions), appeal to the Commission on labor disputes [8].
  • Conflict actions: organization of pickets, lockouts, strikes.

The concept of social tension helps to understand labor conflict as a socio-psychological process. Labor conflict is a stage of development of social tension and development of contradictions in the system of social and labor relations.

References

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  2. Анцупов А. Я., Шипилов А. И. Конфликтология: Учебник для вузов. / А. Я. Анцупов, А. И. Шипилов – М.: ЮНИТИ, 2011, – C. 551
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