Q & A Table of Contents
Union Rank And File Wants To Watch
From: Mike, Honolulu, Hawaii
Question: I am negotiating a first contract with a labor group. A negotiating committee has not been selected nor the details regarding time off to attend the session been agreed.
The union claims that all members of the bargaining unit have the right to "observe" negotiations. I am real concerned about the what will be observed and by whom. I consider the negotiation session confidential and closed to the members, especially if they are just observing. I am working on fixing the negotiation member issue. Any help you can provide regarding the "observer" role will be appreciated.
Response: Your first question should be, "Who wants to observe whom?". If the union members want to observe the negotiations, does that mean they lack confidence in their negotiation team? In the alternative do you think the union believes that outnumbering management at the bargaining session will reduce management's confidence?
When a party to a negotiation feels they need to outnumber the 'other side', perhaps that indicates they feel insecure about their own arguments or capacity to negotiate.
Because this is the first time the union and management are negotiating, it is likely the union negotiators have to prove to their rank and file that they are not going to make some 'sweetheart' deal behind the membership's back.
I suggest you indicate your self-confidence in the following ways. The union's bargaining team needs to have time off; it is not unreasonable for you to bargain over the time off issue with some focus on the negotiating team size. Allow union members to observe the negotiation process on closed-circuit television -- but in a different space from where the formal negotiation is occurring. If you don't want to have the labor force cease productive activity, perhaps the negotiation session can be videotaped, with copies made available to all interested union members. The cost of taping or closed-circuit broadcasting could be shared by management and the union, particularly since one party wants observers and the other side is less enthusiastic.
It may be in the interests of both union and management negotiators to take a joint course in negotiation skills; then both groups will have a better understanding of the process and each other. That increased mutual understanding will increase the mutual respect that should the underlie the relationship for the long term.
Good luck,
Steve
| 
