Interest Based Bargaining

Our most successful approach is to involve employees, management and employee representatives in training for bargaining.

Employers and unions have shared as well as competing interests. The challenge of the bargaining process should be to expand the common ground and manage the differences intelligently. The emphasis should be on preparation for bargaining and dispute prevention. Interest-based (as opposed to positional) bargaining techniques have been developed to turn the bargaining process from a testy trade-off into a mutual gains event. The object is to learn the rationale and techniques of 'value creation' rather than 'value claiming' in the bargaining process.

The parties would meet for a facilitated workshop on a common approach and ground rules for the pending negotiations. The workshop would cover both content and process: the business environment, the strategic plan of the business, union and employee perspectives and expectations, broad issues for negotiation, possible choke-points, information-sharing for negotiation, a timeline for and the logistics of negotiation, rules of conduct, how to deal with any disputes, media and public relations, and the like.

The exercise is aimed at enhancing the chances of achieving the optimum enterprise agreement, namely one that –:

	is arrived at through efficient negotiations;
	represents a fair and durable balance of interests; and
	is achieved without cost to the parties' long-term relationship.

All the training is "hands on" / practical with constant audience participation.

What Next?

If you are interested in more information please give us a call on +61 2 8399 0011 and ask to speak to one of our consultants. 

Alternatively e-mail us at info@emdgroup.com.au or use the form on our Contact Us page.

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