By the end of the week, you will be better positioned to:

• Prepare effectively for negotiations by identifying interests and developing strategic mandates
• Open negotiations constructively and negotiate pre-agreements
• Build skills in formulating and delivering proposals and managing impasses
• Develop the skills of an effective negotiator including listening, probing, identifying interests, and mutually solving problems
• Develop skills in costing both your present collective agreement and proposed new clauses

a) Understanding the Negotiation Process

The opening component of our program establishes the foundation on which new skills can be based. We draw the big picture in collective bargaining: what must the organization accomplish in the negotiation round, and what are the dynamics at play.

We set the stage by:

• Defining strategic negotiations
• Teasing out the dynamics of power/rights/interests approaches
• Identifying individual team and organizational capabilities

b) Building and Prepping the Negotiating

In preparation for your extended bargaining simulation later in the week, we explore how to create roles and responsibilities for effective team dynamics. We analyze bargaining dynamics as well, including intra-team, inter-team, and team-constituent bargaining.

c) Developing a Bargaining Strategy

There are many crucial elements to consider in crafting a strategy for your bargaining round.

Here are several that are discussed:

• Gathering and analyzing data
• Determining the real issues and interests (yours and theirs)
• Framing issues for productive dialogue
• Gaining team agreement on priorities, strategies, tactics, and processes
• Communicating with stakeholder groups
• Formulating a bargaining mandate

d) Negotiation Simulation: Part 1

Here is your chance to practise what you have learned so far this week. The first part of the simulation gives your team an opportunity to identify bargaining priorities, formulate interests, and anticipate the other team's interests to develop a foundation for moving forward. Begin to manage team dynamics by establishing roles and responsibilities, and gaining team agreement on strategies.

e) Costing the Collective Agreement

This workshop is devoted to the art and science of costing the collective agreement. You get a template for costing the monetary and non-monetary issues of your collective agreement, and apply the information to your ongoing simulation.

f) Negotiation Simulation: Part 2

After forming your opening statements, your team meets to negotiate effective pre- agreements on ground rules and process issues. Watch for possible turbulence in team dynamics.

g) The Union View of Bargaining

We ensure that our roster of coaches includes strong and experienced representatives of unions. In this spirited session they offer the union perspective, fielding your candid questions and satisfying your curiosity.

h) Negotiating to Agreement

There are a number of techniques to employ in order to reach a satisfactory bargaining conclusion.

Here are several that are explored:

• Questioning skills for distinguishing interests from positions, exploring assumptions, and obtaining important information
• Creating joint problem-solving statements
• Negotiating without locking onto positions
• Controlling destructive dynamics
• Dealing with sources of resistance
• Linking issues and solutions for effective resolution
• Packaging and re-packaging offers

i) Negotiation Simulation: Parts 3 to 5

The negotiation simulation comes to a climax during this full day of bargaining. Do team members perform as advertised? Have you considered all the possible counter-proposals? Prepare to be surprised by the results.

j) Pre-Bargaining Rituals

The bargaining process is a bit like going to a dance: there are rituals, strategies, and tactics that play out beneath the surface.

In this section you will learn:

• How to set the tone for productive bargaining
• How to prepare and deliver an opening statement
• How to negotiate pre-agreements on ground rules and meeting schedules
• How to develop a joint bargaining process/agenda

k) Concluding the Agreement

Learn how to go from agreement in principle to agreement on specifics by:

• Drafting contract language and checking for mutual understanding
• Communicating with stakeholder groups to achieve agreement and ratification.
• Reaching agreement on the entire package

Success is close at hand, but pay attention to details.

l) Large Group Debrief

With the intensity of the simulation melted away, it is time to take stock of the lessons learned and gather feedback from coaches. Begin to contemplate your role in future negotiations and how you will enhance the competitive position of your organization.

Interactive learning

Your group will be divided into management and union bargaining teams that will then engage in a take-no-prisoners three-part simulation of a negotiation round, coached by experts in collective bargaining. Have you prepared for all the possible counterproposals? Do team members perform as advertised? Prepare to be surprised by the results.

Takeaways

• Planning for Bargaining Workbook
• Issues analysis/preparation/ framing templates
• Negotiations Checklist

Organizational benefits

• Better outcomes from collective bargaining sessions
• Faster and more effective preparation of negotiating team members
• Improved labour management relations
• Creation of competitive advantage through strategic negotiations

This program is designed for labour relations and human resources professionals, managers, and union representatives who prepare for negotiations, as well as members of negotiating teams

• Manager, Kerry's Place Autism Services
• Operations Advisor, Petro-Canada
• Staff Relations Specialist, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
• Labour Relations Manager-Nuclear, Ontario Power Generation
• Labour Relations Consultant, Retail, Wholesale & Department Store Union (RWDSU)
• Senior Staff Officer, Ontario Power Generation
• Associate Human Resources Business Partner, Workplace Safety and Insurance Board
• Labour Relations Manager, Affinity Credit Union
• Director, Labour Policy Saskatchewan Health
• Manager, Human Resources, ENWIN Utilities
• Negotiator, Canadian Food Inspection Agency
• Manager, Human Resources, Women's College Hospital
• Co-ordinator of Labour Relations, City of Greater Sudbury
• Executive Staff Officer, Nova Scotia Teachers' Union
• General Manager, Mills Pontiac Buick GMC Ltd
• Director of Operations, Suncor
• Labour Relations Coordinator, Southlake Regional Health Centre
• Human Resources Specialist, Boeing Operations Canada Ltd.
• Human Resources Consultant, Mount Allison University
• Human Resource Manager, Northstar Aerospace Canada
• Manager of Human Resources, The Gazette
• Manager, Labour Relations, Air Canada
• Vice President Human Resources, Blackburn Radio Inc
• Information Manager, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority
• Director of H.R. & Safety, The Municipal Group Of Companies
• Human Resources Manager, Municipality of Port Hope
• Vice-Principal, Renfrew County District School Board
• Negotiator, Treasury Board of Canada, Secretariat
• Superitendent of Education and Human Resources, Limestone District School Board
• Human Resources Manager, Rogers Communications Inc.
• Human Resources Consultant, City of Lethbridge
• Manager, Staff Relations & Employment, Babcock & Wilcox Canada

Gary Furlong

Gary Furlong has extensive experience in mediation, mediation training, alternative dispute resolution, organizational facilitation, negotiation, and conflict resolution. Gary is past president of the ADR Institute of Ontario, is a Chartered Mediator (C. Med.) and holds his Master of Laws (ADR) from Osgoode Hall Law School. Gary is the author of The Conflict Resolution Toolbox, (John Wiley and Sons, 2005), and the co-author of The Construction Dispute Resolution Handbook, (Butterworths, 2004). Gary was awarded the McGowan Award of Excellence in ADR in 2005.

As a mediator, Gary has worked in the areas of commercial, personal injury, estates, construction, shareholder, insurance, wrongful dismissal, real estate, and workplace conflicts, and specializes in intervening in difficult organizational and workplace disputes. Gary was regularly called in to the court-annexed ADR Centre in Toronto for the first three years, and is now appointed a roster mediator, Ontario Mandatory Mediation Program, Toronto. Gary has mediated personal injury, insurance and long-term disability claims ranging from $30,000 to over $1 million dollars. Estates files include multi-party claims ranging in size from $200,000 to well over a million dollars. Contract and tort claim files have ranged from $10,000 to $2 million dollars. Gary was a regular mediator and fact-finder with the Education Relations Commission, and was also appointed a provincial facilitator and mediator with the Education Improvement Commission, assisting with the financial reorganization and amalgamation of school boards in Ontario. Gary has also been on the Law Society of Upper Canada's complaint mediation panel, and the Teachers College of Ontario mediation panel. Gary has conducted fact-finding and investigations for the past 6 years. more...

Anne Grant

Anne Grant has practised as a full time mediator and conflict resolution professional since 1994. She is president of her own firm, AEG Dispute Resolutions Services Inc., and also practises under the name Mediated Solutions. Anne's dispute resolution practice includes extensive mediation of labour and civil disputes. She specializes in the assessment and restoration of poisoned work environments as well as conducting a range of workplace investigations.

In the area of labour relations, Anne has facilitated the development of collective bargaining mandates, assisted workplace parties to implement comprehensive bumping processes, facilitated union management forums for the Workers Safety and Insurance Board and has facilitated interprovincial trade agreements to address the labour mobility of various professional groups.

Anne is qualified in nursing, law, mediation and labour relations. She holds the national designation of Chartered Mediator and obtained her Masters-in-Law in ADR from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1997. In 2007, she was awarded the Ontario Bar Association's annual Award of Excellence in ADR. more...

Allen Loyst

Allen Loyst has been a member of the Canadian Auto Workers Union (CAW) for 39 years. During this time, he has had many opportunities to develop skills needed to assist the membership in obtaining good contracts and fair employment. He began his career with General Motors Canada in 1972 in the truck plant as a line worker. Since that time, he has held numerous positions in the CAW. In 1989, as "wellness co-ordinator" with the transition of the truck plant, he was instrumental in bargaining for a fitness centre. Eventually the truck plant was rebuilt to house not only state-of-the-art automated guided vehicles (AGVs) but also a fitness centre. He later became human-rights investigator and human-rights facilitator.

In the 1990s, Allen held an elected position and worked at the CAW hall as a service representative for the membership. While in this position, he dealt with employee benefits, sick and accident E.I. compensation and pensions. In 1992, he went to the north plant of GM. As strike coordinator in 1997, he was instrumental in organizing a plant occupation, which led to a settlement and the sale of the plant to Peregrine Inc. As a member of the bargaining committee, a transition agreement was negotiated with GM and Peregrine. In 1998, he was elected district committee person. He was part of the negotiating committee and the transition work group that negotiated the first collective agreement in 2000. more...

Andy MacDonald

Andy MacDonald was a member of the executive of the Brampton Professional Fire Fighters Association (BPFFA), IAFF Local 1068, for many years before joining the management ranks. While a member of the BPFFA executive, Andy participated in collective agreement negotiations and gained the union's perspective. As a member of the negotiating team on the other side of the table, Andy now plays a key role as a chief spokesperson of the Corporation's bargaining team. Andy's insight into negotiations from both sides of the negotiation table gives him an interesting perspective into the dynamics of collective bargaining.

Andy holds a Certificate in Industrial Relations from the Queen's Industrial Relations Centre and participated in the program on negotiations at the Harvard Law School. Andy has also studied at York University and the Ontario Fire College.

He spends much of his free time aiding in many charitable causes and was the driving force behind the construction of his dream, the world's first Fire/Life Safety Education Centre in Brampton. Andy's other charitable exploits include rappelling off the CN Tower in 1985 to raise money for a Toronto burn unit, earning him a spot in the Guinness Book of Records.

Andy presents at the following IRC program(s): Negotiation Skills

Kingston: Four Points (Oct 14-19, 2012)

Queen's University IRC is proud to hold this session at Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, located at 285 King Street East, in historic downtown Kingston. Hotel rooms are available to participants at a special rate until one month prior to the program. Following your registration for the program, we will provide you with an unique link for hotel reservations. For more information on the hotel visit http://www.fourpointskingston.com/.

Victoria: Victoria Conference Centre (Dec 03-07, 2012)

Queen's University IRC is pleased to present this program at the Victoria Conference Centre. The facility is located in downtown Victoria, attached to the historic Fairmont Empress Hotel, at 720 Douglas Street, Victoria. For more information on the facility please visit their website at www.victoriaconference.com.