Fisher and Ury further stress the importance of taking community interests into account when crafting an agreement. McCarthy points out that in labor disputes both sides claim that their positions are best for the larger community. In labor disputes the nature of the community's best interests are themselves in contention, and so focusing more narrowly on the parties interests may be the best way to reach a settlement. Another principle cautions negotiators to avoid extreme opening positions. McCarthy notes that extreme opening positions have become part of the ritual of labor negotiations.
Unions use their opening demands to increase union solidarity.
While they are expected, neither side takes these extreme positions seriously. McCarthy also has reservations about the use of brainstorming sessions. In his experience brainstorming is often way to avoid making hard decisions. First, they do not provide an adequate analysis of the role of power. For instance, McCarthy observes that their notion of negotiation jujitsu does not actually turn power back on the other party, as claimed.