GMFC Impasse Essay

At the moment, GMFC has focused on negotiations to persuade the union to come to an agreement on plausible conditions. In this regard, managers of the company should persuade leaders of the union to enhance negotiations as the company gives in partially and agrees to increase the payment. In response, the union should ease its demands. The union may agree to participate in health care coverage of workers, while the company does not require all employees to participate in their health care coverage. In such a way, both parties will come to an agreement plausible to them.

          Alternatively, the management team should focus on dividing opponents, i.e. the union and employees, to ultimately negotiate the target conditions of the agreement. In this regard, the management should concentrate on negotiations with union leaders, who, still refuse to launch a strike, although employees are ready for the strike. In such a way, ongoing negotiations and the refusal from strike may increase the dissatisfaction of employees with union leaders, whom employees may distrust. Managers should also communicate to employees that the company offers an increase in payment for all employees, while only some employees will participate in the coverage of a part of their health care costs. In such a way, managers will divide employees and create mistrust and uncertainty in their camp. In such a situation, they can continue negotiations to gain possibly better conditions for the agreement.

          Finally, managers of the company can stand their ground and expect strikes from employees. If the strike begins, managers can start the lockout to keep the production process running. However, conflicts with employees can raise substantial problems for the company because the lockout still needs time, while new employees may also need time to adapt to the work in the company.