COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
TIPS
BOB MCGRATH
FOR
Human Resources Professional Association – North
Bay Chapter
April 17,2007
PRE-NEGOTIATIONS


Prepare/Prepare/Prepare
Starts as soon as you sign a renewal
agreement
PREPARATION
INTERNAL
 Keep records
 Keep track of grievances/complaints
 Note ambiguities
 Union rhetoric
 Pole your constituents
 Employer Policies
PREPARATION
EXTERNAL

General economic
conditions

Wage settlements
in the industry

Developing
trends/legislation
(mandatory
retirement/pension
/minimum wage)

“Ask A Friend”

Conduct surveys
NEGOTIATING TEAM
WHO?

Needed Expertise

Anticipated
Proposals

Labour Relations

Finance

Operations

Research

CEO Role
EDUCATE
The issues
Roles
Process
MANDATE
Know your limits
DEVELOP PROPOSALS






Realistic
Trades
Documentation
Demonstrated
Need
Reflect Work Force
Makeup
Cost
NEGOTIATIONS
Getting Started

Introduction/Roles

Posturing

Behaviour

Control
NEGOTIATIONS
Exchange Proposals
NEGOTIATIONS




Explain Proposals
Why Need
Problems
Documentation
NEGOTIATIONS

Sign-off on agreed items as you go
NEGOTIATIONS
Come back prepared on subsequent days.
NEGOTIATIONS
NOTES!
NOTES!
NOTES!
STRATEGY
Maximum and Minimum
Objectives

Reveal - Little by
little maximum
expectation

Conceal - For as
long as possible
the minimum
position
STRATEGY








Monetary vs Non-monetary
Argue Demands
Resist Demands
Compromise
Don’t be in a hurray to settle
You snooze you lose
Exploring the Possibilities - getting the
maximum without economic risk or risk
of strike/lockout
Final Offer
RULES TO LIVE BY
Never promise what
you can’t deliver




What you give you
never get back
.
Management
Rights
Don’t show-up your
opponent
Allow for face
saving
Never box the
other side in
TRANSITION FROM OLD TO NEW
“Its much easier to build a good
relationship than to struggle with
a bad one”
TRANSITION
Moving From Traditional Roles To A New
Vision
–
–
–
–
Mix of Union and Management
Compromise
Realistic Proposals
Consider all possibilities
TRANSITION
OLD CONCEPT
. CONTROL
. CONFRONT
. CONQUER
NEW VISION
. COOPERATE
. COLLABORATE
. COMPROMISE