Partnership Council Training

1. Partnership Council Training

2. Overview • The Five W’s of Partnership Councils • What are the Roles? • What are the Operating Guidelines? • How is it Managed? • How are Problems Solved? • How is it Assessed? • Mission

3. What • A voluntary, mutually developed process with an established structure for joint control, written ground rules, direct and representative participation, frequent and timely feedback, sharing of information and expertise, collaborative problem solving, & consensus decision making. • It is an additional dimension of the collective bargaining relationship which does not require either party to lose its identity or relinquish its role.

4. Why • Facilitate two-way communication between management and employees; • promote a joint understanding of the problem of the enterprise and the parties who make up the enterprise; • avenue of expression for employee complaints before they become grievances; • a means for employees to participate in organizational decision-making and use the skill and knowledge of employees.

5. When • Regularly scheduled meetings for continuity; • frequency and duration based on the needs of individual situations; • consistent in starting and ending times (no gripe sessions); • only cancel scheduled meetings in an emergency (lack of commitment).

6. Where • adequate meeting room (size, lighting, accessibility); • butcher block paper; • comfortable seating and a table; • free of distractions and interruptions.

7. Who • An equal number of management and labor; • balance having the right people with having a group small enough to permit informality and ease in reaching consensus; • everyone participates; • everyone is committed; • participants are responsible & capable people who are willing to make decisions & promote trust.

8. Roles • Co-chairs – Labor and Management • Facilitator- Designated or rotating? • Recorder – Member or other? • Timekeeper - Enforcer • Council members – participate & monitor

9. Operating Guidelines

10. Structure • Equal parts labor and management • Co-chairs are the top management and union officials • Regular meetings – when, how long, cancellations, breaks, etc… • Room arrangements and seating – comfort, privacy, technology, etc…

11. Quorum • Required to conduct business (make decisions) • Usually a minimum of 2/3 of labor and management members

12. Substitutes • Members are appointed based on their position (ATAG, COS, Union President, Union Vice-President) • Substitutes are only appropriate if the member is on a long-term absence and another individual has been appointed to act in their place

13. Agenda • Co-chairs establish the agenda • Gate-keeping method is vital • Distributed to the group prior to the meeting • Purpose and objectives considered • Information, Dialogue or Decision? • Contentious issue requiring IBB?

14. Minutes • Identify items, issues raised and end status (decisions, next steps, etc…) • May be driven by flip chart record • Verified by co-chairs • Distributed within 14 days (include LRO)

15. Management

16. Direction • Ground Rules – How will we interact? • NATO – Nature, Agenda, Time, Outcome • Bin or Parking Lot - for important but not timely concerns • Issue Tracking (issue, start date, description, status)

17. Butcher Block • Used to Record the meeting • Communicate issues, options, agreements • Tool to keep the group on track • Provides a running narrative • Charge the board

18. Graphics • People learn in different ways • Visuals combined with words are powerful • Separate Information • Colors can communicate emotion, status

19. Participation • Icebreakers • Exercises • Soliciting input • Asking for volunteers

20. Problem Solving

21. Information • Usually a one-way communication of facts, policy, regulation, tactics, techniques, procedures, etc… • May be simple or complex; may require a subject matter expert • If information surfaces a contentious issue, a decision on how to proceed must be made

22. Dialogue • Purpose is to build understanding, not debate • Set aside decision making during dialogue • Be open and suspend judgment of others • Speak from your own perspective • Listen with empathy • Look for common ground • Be aware of hidden assumptions (yours and others)

23. Interest Based Bargaining • Six-step process • Select issue • Discuss interests • Establish standards • Generate options • Evaluate options • Develop solution

24. Interest Based Bargaining (Cont’d) • Partnership problem-solving method • Based on open communication and identification of common goals • Considers the feelings, needs, wants, fears of parties • Decisions are made by consensus of the group • Often difficult, but the quality of the solution is better

25. Assessment

26. Measuring Success Full Membership and training status Membership Trained – LM Orientation Training, Facilitation (SQA) Regular Meetings – [at minimum] Quarterly as per co-chairs with updates to track issues – Issue, Description, Date Started, Disposition (In Process, Completed, Cancelled, Level of Resolution)

27. Measuring Success Communications tools Minutes distributed within 15 days Partnership Webpage in development Periodic self assessment – Subcommittee (members to be named) • Perception of effectiveness locally • Perception of effectiveness at other levels • Awareness of the L-M partnership processes by the workforce

28. Mission

29. Partnership Mission • To transform labor-management relations from confrontation over rights to collaboration on achieving improved • Military Readiness, • Public Service, and • Individual Quality of Life

30. Partnership Meetings • Serve as a forum for labor-management collaboration on issues appropriate to that level • Providing information, dialogue for understanding, and consensus decision-making are potential objectives • Is this a meeting or a facilitated problem- solving?

31. Summary • The Five W’s of Partnership Councils • What are the Roles? • What are the Operating Guidelines? • How is it Managed? • How are Problems Solved? • How is it Assessed? • Mission

32. Questions?