A question that has been asked frequently over the years is, "Why should we care about collective bargaining?" What has been missing in the discussion on collective bargaining is a real explanation and understanding of the concept. Collective bargaining has been described as a process in which employees and their representatives form a united front, known as a union, to negotiate with their employers. These negotiations usually cover such things as pay rates and salary amounts, benefits and workplace conditions, among other issues. The principles of collective bargaining and unions stem from the idea that employees as a group have much more bargaining power than individual employees trying to negotiate with their employer. Since collective bargaining is based on collaboration, it is considered a very democratic process. Members of the employee union choose the issues to negotiate and vote on whether they accept the contract proposed by their representatives and management. There are many different topics besides salary that can be negotiated. These issues include, among other things, a fairway for evaluating employee performance, protection for those who file complaints, adequate training, advancement opportunities, employer accountability, and safe working conditions. Early in American history during the colonial period and through the mid-19th century Throughout the century, relationships between employers and their employees were often hostile and adversarial. Sometimes these disagreements between employee and employer erupted into violent clashes. Workers, skilled or unskilled, would fight with management for improved/safer working conditions, fair pay, and long, grueling hours by uniting and training... middle of paper... with the common ideals of all human beings fundamentals. rights.BibliographySloane, A. (2010). Work relations. (13th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.Adler, J. (n.d.). Collective bargaining in the United States. Retrieved from http://ipma-hr.org/sites/default/files/pdf/hrcenter/collectiveBargaining/cpr_cb_adler.pdfInvestopedia. (2014). Collective bargaining. Retrieved from http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/collective-bargaining.aspDunlop, J. (n.d.). The negotiating table. Retrieved from http://www.dol.gov/dol/aboutdol/history/amworkerconclusion.htmSun, L. (2014). Collective bargaining. Retrieved from http://www.businessdictionary.com/article/393/collective-bargaining/Lichtenstein, N. (2014). Collective bargaining. Retrieved from http://www.answers.com/topic/collective-bargaining