Negotiating a Collective Bargaining Agreement

Negotiating a Collective Bargaining Agreement (four courses): If you’re preparing to lead or participate in labor negotiations, this track will provide you with the confidence and specialized skills you need to be ready to bargain. Relevant to both union leaders and management, the program focuses on: how to develop a bargaining strategy aligned with organizational goals; the step-by-step preparation process; developing, costing, and prioritizing objectives; writing and presenting proposals and counter-proposals; managing the bargaining team; at-the-table practices and protocols; and resolving stalemates and reaching agreement. Participants will practice both competitive and collaborative negotiation skills in a full-day collective bargaining simulation.

Courses: 

• Labor Law and Contract Interpretation 
• Negotiation Skills for the Workplace
• Preparation for Collective Bargaining
• Effective Collective Bargaining Skills

Key  Takeaways:

• The components of a comprehensive collective bargaining strategy
• A systematic process to prepare for bargaining
• Methods to obtain a bargaining mandate from management
• Deepened understanding of labor relations law and contract interpretation
• Negotiation skills to bargain effectively as the chief negotiator
• Competencies to be a labor relations advisor to management

Who Should Enroll

• HR and labor relations professionals
• Managers and executives working in a union environment
• Attorneys involved in collective bargaining
• Union officials involved in collective bargaining
• Union leaders
• HR and labor relations professionals
• Attorneys
• Managers and executives working in a union environment

Whether you manage staff and operations, work in HR, or represent employees, this interactive series provides you with the ability to develop a strategy, prepare for collective bargaining and learn at-the-table skills.

You will have ample opportunity to practice your skills using case-based scenarios in a small group setting. Class sizes are limited to ensure full participation and mentoring in small group activities and simulations. Courses in this program consist of multiple synchronous sessions per week with assignments in between sessions. Please review the details of the courses below for specific meeting dates and times.

This program assumes you have had previous exposure to basic concepts in labor relations.