Use the 5 stages of the conflict process outlined on page 450 of the textbook to explain how the manager of a factory should deal with 40 employees ready to strike over a two-year wage freeze and 15% rise in health insurance premiums. Assume that the employees don't want to strike but feel it’s a last resort since upper management will not sit down with them to discuss their concerns, and that you are perceived as being the bottleneck in communication.
The following are the 5 stages of the conflict process from page 450:
1. Potential opposition or incompatibility
a. Antecedent Conditions
b. Communication
c. Structure
d. Personal Variables
2. Cognition and personalization
a. Perceived conflict
b. Felt conflict
3. Intentions
a. Conflict-handling intentions
b. Competing o Collaborating
c. Compromising
d. Avoiding
e. Accommodating
4. Behavior
a. Party’s behavior
b. Other’s behavior
5. Outcome
a. Increased group performance
b. Decreased group performance