Globally, workers go on strike to protest against their working conditions as well as to put pressure on their employers in the event of contract negotiations (Cheesborough, Gray& Bajaj, 2017) . Typically, workers on protest do not expect to be paid their usual wages, but most of them collect unemployment insurance benefits (UIB).Striking workers seek answers to various questions concerning their rights and protections directed to them ( Saez, 2015) . In the case study, most protests grant an opportunity to grocers to overturn the shopping habits of customers where if one leaves for another chain they never return.
Question 11-17
In such a difficult situation, incorporating the newly hired employees into the existing insurance pool would be the most effective negotiation for all parties. In case there must be a different insurance pool, then negotiating with the employers to cater for half the health insurance benefits would see workers’ pay less than 10$ a week (Gibson, 2004) . Another suggestion would be to reduce the number of working hours for the newly hired workers that would reduce the cost of the benefits package. On the other hand, trimming off some of the health insurance benefits by the employers would mean employees pay less for the optimal benefit package. Finally, subsidizing the cost of the insurance benefit for employees from 1.35$ per hour to about 1.00$ an hour would entirely reduce package cost.
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Question 11-18
According to the grocery chain perspective, having different classes of employees would undermine the worker's competitiveness. Additionally, workers would leave in fear of any step down that would see their health benefit reduced (James &Melinda, 2004) . To curb this kind of menace, it is advisable to maintain a single insurance pool for all workers within the same sector.
Question 11-19
From the union’s point of view, considering two classes of workers separated by different insurance pools would see the employees becoming unhappy from the time they join the union as well as the time they take up the job positions. To control this situation, it is recommendable to equalize all workers and offer them equal treatments (James &Melinda, 2004) .
Conclusion
In any business environment, it is essential for the employees to negotiate a contract with their employer before taking up a job position. This enables the worker and the employer to reach a consensus and avoid or reduce striking for benefits. In the case scenario, involving all the employees into a similar insurance pool would have seen the grocers avoid the strike. Finally, it is important to use formal means to collect a dispute with an employer to sustain the benefits.
References
Cheesborough, J. E., Gray, S. S., & Bajaj, A. K. (2017). Striking a Better Integration of Work and Life: Challenges and Solutions. Plastic and reconstructive surgery , 139 (2), 495-500.
Claxton, G., Rae, M., Panchal, N., Damico, A., Whitmore, H., Bostick, N., & Kenward, K. (2013). Health benefits in 2013: moderate premium increases in employer-sponsored plans. Health Affairs , 32 (9), 1667-1676.
Gibson, R. (2004). The California grocery strike. Cultural Logic .
James F.Peltz &Melinda fulmer.(2004.)settlement nears for southern California grocery strike:from los angeles times,February 26,2004.web: http://articles.latimes.com/2004/feb/26/business/fi-super26
Saez, E. (2015). Striking it richer: The evolution of top incomes in the United States (Updated with 2014 preliminary estimates). Economics Department, UC Berkeley .
