Contract bargaining in labor relations is one of the most complex areas of negotiation and dispute resolution. There is rarely clear cut or mutually agreed upon notions of what a fair salary and benefits package would be, so employers and workers, either individually or collectively, often find themselves at odds. Furthermore, contract bargaining in a unionized setting is rarely limited to questions of compensation. Working conditions, safety concerns or questions about worker rights, regularly surface and must be resolved. Appropriate negotiation and dispute resolution techniques can help all parties engaged in labor and workplace-related negotiations achieve mutually advantageous outcomes.
Our guest expert Paul Carroll, Human Resource Analyst III, Sonoma County has worked on both sides of the negotiation table. You will hear from him about both labor’s view of management, and how that experience has changed the way management approaches labor negotiations. Participants will walk away with a comfort level of building trust between labor and management through transparency, guiding principles and policies and procedures.
