Training Sessions - Page 9

Session 9 - Negotiating with Management

Preparation is the most critical phase for successful negotiations.

Your team will certainly do a good job if they are well prepared.

Preparing for negotiations

• Have clear objectives - what do you want to achieve?

• Make sure you have workplace support.

• Collect all the relevant facts and information about the issue(s). Use the ideas and experiences of workers on the job.

• Write down as clearly as you can the key arguments in favour of your claim.

• Plan your tactics fort he negotiating table. Who will be on the team, who will be the spokesperson, who will take notes?

• How will management respond? Who will represent management - are they decision makers?

• What are your options? If necessary, do you have a compromise or fall back position?

• How will you inform workers of the results after the negotiation? You must keep the support and involvement of workers.

The Three Rules of Negotiation

• Never negotiate alone;

• Never make an unauthorised deal;

• Maintain unity while negotiating

During Negotiation DO

• Ask management to explain their view

• Give management an opportunity to fix the problem

• Be polite but firm

• Put your argument simply and clearly

• Listen carefully for offers

• Watch body language

• Summarise offers made

• Get commitments in writing

• Take proper notes

• Take time out when needed

During Negotiation DON'T

• Lose your temper

• Make personal attacks

• Disagree among yourselves

• Make a deal without members' authority

• Negotiate alone

What To Do When You Get Stuck

• Know when to take a break - caucus

• Summarise where both parties are at

• Discuss possible results of getting bogged down

• Discuss mutual benefits of a settlement

• Try "what if" statements

At The End of Negotiations

• Summarise the final position to check that everyone agrees what it is

• Prepare a report and recommendation for workers and our union office

• If members support the recommendation you put forward assign a member of the team to check that the agreement is carried out

• Celebrate your success with your team and others who contributed

• If an offer is less than you expected, or if there is a complete rejection:

• review your objectives and expectations

• prepare a report for the members and our union office. Can you go back and try again?

• If you are to try again, what new information and arguments do you need?

• If you recommend accepting the current management position, under what circumstances could you go back later - do you need more facts, more support from workers?

• Remember that there are few instances in which a good claim cannot be renewed. Negotiations on some issues can take a long time. The important thing is to keep making gains.

How Can Workers Show Their Support During Negotiation?

There are many ways workers can display support. "Display" is the key word here.

What you want is for management to see that workers are serious about the claim and are united in their support for it.

If your claims are based on a survey of workers, management will know that your claim reflects workplace opinions. If members of your workplace committee/network talk to workers about the claim and collect information from them, this will also be known to management. Activists should promote discussion at meal and others breaks.

Unit of purpose and solidarity can be demonstrated by everyone wearing a coloured ribbon or badge, or even wearing the same coloured clothing. Management will soon know why they are doing it. A petition is another way to demonstrate support.

If there is a health and safety issue, everyone might wear a band aid in an obvious place.

Holding a picnic or BBQ for workers with posters and other signs which highlight the issue. You may be able to involve local community organisations in such an activity if the issue is of interest to them.

Produce flyers which support your claim. Use them to lead discussions at meal breaks.

When initially presenting the claim, all workers affected might take the claim to the management.

These are just a few ideas, get together with your workplace committee and your Organiser to think of other ways in which workers can show support.

Contact the ASU to find out more about negotiating with management and additional training courses that are available.