Collective Bargaining and the Multi‐national Firm: Management Policy Issue for the Automobile Industry

Abstract

A study of the auto industry, with particular reference to America, indicates that the role of the multinational company must be viewed in the perspective of labour situations existing in most countries and at home. The diversity of multinational corporations necessitates an emphasis on co‐ordination of union policies, research and communication. The majority of bargaining in the future will be national and thus it is essential that a system of transmitting knowledge from country to country be established. Equally, such co‐ordination will be necessary if unions hope to achieve a system for more equalised bargaining in the face of existing constraints; otherwise, it is likely that the mechanisms of protective legislation, individual bargaining and multinational bargaining will fail to alter present status in negotiating with employees.