1. Define and Discuss the Term “Collective Bargaining”

Collective bargaining is the process of negotiations involving the representatives of the employer and employee for terms and conditions of employment that will apply to the employee. In the United States the negotiations that happen between concerning parties are written into legally binding contracts and usually last from one to five years (Budd). As a member of the United States Air Force for over 20-years, military members cannot unionize to enact or demand a collective bargaining agreement be voted. This has the potential to undermine the authority of leadership. The military is built on ethics above the normal with customs that spark a sense of pride and belonging. A collective bargaining agreement would destroy military leadership’s ability to deploy members when needed.
When employers and a group of employees negotiate to reach an agreement that regulates working conditions, it is called collective bargaining. The group of employees is usually the union. When collective bargaining is taking place there are four issues that are mandatory components. They are compensation, personnel policies, and employee and employer rights and responsibilities. Compensation has to do with the wages, benefits, vacations, holidays, shift premiums, and profit sharing of the employee. Personnel policies and procedures involve layoff, promotion, transfer policies, overtime and vacation rules. Seniority rights, job standards and workplace rules falls under employee rights and responsibilities. Management rights just cause discipline and discharge, subcontracting, and safety standards fall under employer rights and responsibilities. The four primary issues are discussed in detail regarding the United States Postal Service and their respective Union.

The Postal Service and the Union had to agree on a new collective