Lourdes Munduate Jaca

Effectiveness of Mediation Strategies in Collective Bargaining

Effectiveness of mediation strategies is analyzed in two different types of collective labor conflicts: rights conflicts and conflicts of interests. The sample consists of 106 professional labor mediators who completed a questionnaire about the strategies they used and the outcomes they achieved in their most recent mediation intervention. Results from regression analysis indicate that while the use of substantive and contextual strategies is positively related to effectiveness in both types of conflict, the use of reflexive strategies is negatively related to effectiveness, particularly in rights conflicts.

The Intervention of Third Parties in the Solution of Labour Conflicts

Abstract The use of non-judicial methods in the solution of labour conflicts has become increasingly important in Western European countries over the last decade. This is due mainly to two facts. First, third party intervention—especially when it is carried out by a mediator—in a conflict that has arisen during collective bargaining is considered more and more often to be a supporting and useful mechanism that perfects the negotiation process itself, and not only a last resource when negotiation totally breaks down. Second, mediation and arbitration play a progressively greater role in the solution of conflicts arising over the application and interpretation of collective agreements. They have became procedures that complement, rather than exclude, the traditional alternative of a court resolution. With the use of this non-judicial third party, conflict moves from the logic of the rationality of the legal solution, to the open logic of bargaining and interchanging positions, and the third partys interven...

Effectiveness of Mediation Strategies in Rights Conflicts and Conflicts of Interest

In this study we analyse contingent effectiveness of mediation strategies in labour conflicts differentiating between rights conflicts and conflicts of interests. In addition, we analyse gender differences in the use of mediation strategies. Considering Kressel and Pruitt (1985, Journal of Social Issues, 41, 179-198), taxonomy on mediation strategies, professional labour mediators responded to a survey about the strategies they used and the outcomes they achieved in their most recent mediation intervention. Regarding the effectiveness of mediation strategies, we hipothetized that the effectiveness of mediation strategies will vary according to the type of conflict (rights or interests) in the sense that reflexive, substantive and contextual strategies will be more effective in conflicts of interests than in rights conflicts. With regard to gender differences, we hipothetized that there will be differences between genders as regards to the use of mediation strategies in the sense that men will employ substantive strategies in greater measure than women.

Copying with Bullying as an Intractable Organizational Conflict

This studys objective is to approach bullying as an asymmetric and relational conflict. In other words, a conflict where there is a great power imbalance between the affected parties, and where emotional and relational problems exist. First, we analyse the link between relational conflict and bullying, and secondly we try to verify whether the strategies that have shown their worth for handling relational conflict may also be used to cope with bullying. Results show that the presence of high relational conflicts and high positional power are related with the presence of bullying practices. In a similar way to what occurs with management strategies in intractable conflicts, integrating behaviours with the opponent increase practices of workplace bullying, while avoiding behaviours are related to a lower presence of these practices. Findings also confirm that a climate of support within the group is related with a lower presence of bullying practices. The study analyses the implications of these findings for coping with bullying in the organisational setting.