Abstract
Statement of the problem. Traditional collective bargaining, which is a method to resolve conflict used by labor and management that is based upon the philosophy of dominance and/or compromise, is an industrial model for negotiating. This industrial model does not match the educational trend toward shared decision making and site based management in unifying both parties toward a shared vision and working toward common goals. The literature has shown that conditions existed as a result of adversarial negotiations that contributed to union and management conflicts. Such conditions included problems with staff relationships, morale and communication problems, poor image of schools, rancorous conflicts before, during, and after negotiating, problems of the allocation of limited resources and problems with reaching a contract. Other problems with the traditional collective bargaining model have been identified by various researchers in the field. It has been established that collective bargaining did not secure long-term financial gains for faculty in public education. Traditional collective bargaining has also led to an erosion of public support for education, and it has made a common practice of both deception and deterioration in faculty/board relationships. Evidence indicates the need for a better way to establish and maintain harmonious relationships between the union and management and reach contractual agreements in school districts. The findings. Each of the nine research questions rendered positive statements and opinions about the nonadversarial processes used and relationships that developed. Overall the negotiating team members who completed questionnaires confirmed the interviewee statements regarding the change strategies and steps used to change from adversarial negotiations to nonadversarial; the composition of the bargaining teams; required process skills; types of training needed; the use of a consultant; procedures essential to success; the resolution of conflicts during negotiations; the criteria of success; the perceptions of others not on the bargaining teams; the impact of nonadversarial negotiations on the filing of grievances; and the advantages and disadvantages of collaborative negotiations. The differences between manager and teacher responses on the questionnaire were in the areas of teacher and manager trust; behaviors at the table; the existence of trust prior to initiating nonadversarial bargaining; degree of truthfulness; the inclusion of the superintendent on the negotiating team; and the accessibility of information to make informed decisions. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).