chapter 7 | Dealing With Problems and Conflicts 99and the availability of a written grievance procedure
that specifies both the employee’s and the employer’s
rights and responsibilities if an issue arises that can-
not be settled informally (Forman & Merrick, 2003).
Having a say in practice and work-related issues
empowers nurses (Budd, Warino, & Patton, 2004;
Crochette, 2008). Another advantage is salary: nurs-
es working under a collective bargaining agreement
can earn as much as 28% more than those who do
not (Pittman, 2007).
The greatest disadvantage of using collective
bargaining as a way to deal with conflict is that it
clearly separates management-level people from
staff-level people, often creating an adversarial rela-
tionship. Any nurses who make staffing decisions
may be classified as supervisors and, therefore, may
be ineligible to join the union, separating them
from the rest of their colleagues (Martin, 2001).
The result is that management and staff are treated
as opposing parties rather than as people who are
trying to work together to provide essential services
to their clients. The collective bargaining contract
also adds another layer of rules and regulations
between staff members and their supervisors.
Because management of such employee-related
rules and regulations can take almost a quarter of a
manager’s time (Drucker, 2002), this can become a
drain on a nurse manager’s time and energy.Conclusion
Conflict is inevitable within any large, diverse
group of people who are trying to work together
over an extended period. However, conflict does
not have to be destructive, nor does it have to be a
negative experience. If it is handled skillfully by
everyone involved, conflict can stimulate people
to learn more about each other and how to work
together in more effective ways. Resolving a
conflict, when done well, can lead to improved
working relationships, more creative methods of
operation, and higher productivity.Case 3
Collective Bargaining
The chief executive officer (CEO) of a large home health agency in a southwestern resort area called a
general staff meeting. She reported that the agency had grown rapidly and was now the largest in the area.
“Much of our success is due to the professionalism and commitment of our staff members,” she said. “With
growth come some problems, however. The most serious problem is the fluctuation in patient census. Our
census peaks in the winter months when seasonal residents are here and troughs in the summer. In the
past, when we were a small agency, we all took our vacations during the slow season. This made it possible
to continue to pay everyone his or her full salary all year. However, given pressures to reduce costs and the
large number of staff members we now have, we cannot continue to do this. We are very concerned about
maintaining the high quality of patient care currently provided, but we have calculated that we need to
reduce staff by 30 percent over the summer in order to survive financially.”
The CEO then invited comments from the staff members. The majority of the nurses said they wanted
and needed to work full-time all year. Most supported families and had to have a steady income all year. “My
rent does not go down in the summer,” said one. “Neither does my mortgage payment or the grocery bill,”
said another. A small number said that they would be happy to work part-time in the summer if they could
be guaranteed full-time employment from October through May. “We have friends who would love this work
schedule,” they added.
“That’s not fair,” protested the nurses who needed to work full-time all year. “You can’t replace us with
part-time staff.” The discussion grew louder and the participants more agitated. The meeting ended without
a solution to the problem. Although the CEO promised to consider all points of view before making a
decision, the nurses left the meeting feeling very confused and concerned about the security of their future
income. Some grumbled that they probably should begin looking for new positions “before the ax falls.”
The next day the CEO received a telephone call from the nurses’ union representative. “If what I heard about
the meeting yesterday is correct,” said the representative, “ your plan is in violation of our collective bargaining
contract.” The CEO reviewed the contract and found that the representative was correct. A new solution to the
financial problems caused by the seasonal fluctuations in patient census would have to be found.