TITLE: THE EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LABOR RELATIONS SURVIVAL GUIDE A-Z: PART 1

LIVE DATE: Thursday, August 29, 2024 | TIME:  01:00 PM EST | DURATION: 120 MINUTES

COURSE SUMMARY

Attendees of Part 1 of this 4-part webinar series will have the opportunity to widen their skill set enough to be able to hit the ground running to meet the challenges of most labor management environments. Among the many areas to be explored will be the groundwork and guidelines for positive labor management relationships along with an examination of the roles of the Union and its representatives/Stewards, Union organizational structure and functions. Additionally, attendees will also be exposed to the management side of the equation/relationship and what is required, permitted and forbidden for and by each side (labor and management). This will be supplemented with an understanding of both the application of the “Reserved Rights Doctrine” more commonly referred to as the management rights clause of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) as well as the “Duty to Fairly Represent” (DFR). Attendees will also delve into the resources they should have at hand in their “toolbox” in order to effectively perform the LR function which incudes an understanding of all relevant laws and how to maintain up to date information to assist in compliance of their administration of both the law, the CBA and any organizational policies.

Areas Covered

Who Should Attend

All levels of Managers, Supervisors, Human Resources, Employee Relations, Labor Relations, Attorney’s, and Union Officers/Representatives/Stewards, all levels of Law Enforcement or Security staff, community organizations, non-profits, elected and or appointed legislative and political groups.

Why Should You Attend

Even seasoned HR professionals recognize that Labor Relations requires a very different and special skill set. So, if you have not worked with a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) in a Unionized workplace or if you have but want more specific training or to update your knowledge base then this 4-part comprehensive A-Z survival guide is for you.

Are you aware of the essential elements required to establish and maintain a positive labor management relationship? Can you describe and understand the roles of Union Steward and other Union representatives/officers and how they interact with the various levels of management and especially with Labor Relations? How familiar are you with the organizational structure of the Union and its obligations under both the CBA, the law and in particular about their “Duty to Fairly Represent (DFR) under the NLRA? Do you have at your disposal and for your use the latest up to date resources available? Are you familiar with all of the federal laws which impact the Labor Relations function?

If you can’t answer all of the above with confidence, then this first of four webinars is just what you will need to support and improve your Labor Relations skill set.

TITLE: THE EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LABOR RELATIONS SURVIVAL GUIDE A-Z: PART 3

LIVE DATE: Wednesday, October 16, 2024 | TIME:  01:00 PM EST | DURATION: 120 MINUTES

COURSE SUMMARY:

Attendees will have an increased understanding and where appropriate, skill set of the following:

Areas Covered

Who Should Attend

All levels of Managers, Supervisors, Human Resources, Employee Relations, Labor Relations, Attorney’s, and Union Officers/Representatives/Stewards, all levels of Law Enforcement or Security staff, community organizations, non-profits, elected and or appointed legislative and political groups.

Why Should You Attend

In this third webinar from our Labor Relations Survival Guide A-Z series attendees will continue to explore and improve their understanding of the labor negotiations process and the administration of the CBA/MOU.

Do you know and are you fully prepared as possible for negotiations, not only at the table but for the support team(s) from the field to the corporate office and board room as well? And what are best practices regarding how, when and why you should/must communicate and with whom (as permissible under law) before, during and after negotiations? And what can you do to mitigate or even prevent an “end run?” Can you identify the required mandatory, permissive and forbidden subjects of not only bargaining but for the entire spectrum of the labor management relationship? Do you know about the use of “housekeepers” in negotiating and for other complex matters and how they can stave off potential misunderstandings and formal disputes? And do you know not only about how to properly administer seniority clauses in the CBA but how to be aware of and prevent their “creep” into other areas of the workplace and CBA/MOU? Do you know the why and how of conducting an efficient, effective and lawful internal investigation without any potential conflict(s) of interest or bias? And are your questioning and listening skills as good as they might be when negotiating, investigating, grievance processing and administering the CBA?

If you can’t favorably and with confidence answer all the above, then this third session of four webinars from our Labor Relations Survival Guide A-Z is just what you will need to support and improve your Labor Relations skill set.

TITLE: THE EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LABOR RELATIONS SURVIVAL GUIDE A-Z: PART 4

LIVE DATE: Tuesday, November 05, 2024 | TIME:  01:00 PM EST | DURATION: 120 MINUTES

COURSE SUMMARY:

Areas Covered

Who Should Attend

All levels of Managers, Supervisors, Human Resources, Employee Relations, Labor Relations, Attorney’s, and Union Officers/Representatives/Stewards, all levels of Law Enforcement or Security staff, community organizations, non-profits, elected and or appointed legislative and political groups.

Why Should You Attend

Building on the three previous webinar sessions in our Labor Relations Survival Guide A-Z this fourth and final webinar will tie all four webinars together into a comprehensive understanding and improved skill set that can set an attendee above and beyond colleagues. Those who complete this four-part series should have now developed their knowledge base and skill set enough such that they should be able to professionally respond to any possible labor relations scenario they might be presented with.

Can you identify the concepts, elements and applications of “past practice and precedent” in all of their many forms including how to reverse them? Or do you understand the elements and applications of the concepts and meaning of “work now, grieve later” and its opposite of “self-help remedy?” And what about having a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between the grievance and arbitration clauses in a CBA as well as their joint and separate applications as dispute resolution tools? Can you identify the various stages of the grievance process in their various forms and expectations at each step and how to make them work best for the parties. Just how familiar are you being able to identify the elements, meaning and application of the concepts of just cause and due process? And have you sufficiently developed your understanding of the different levels of proof (circumstantial, preponderance, clear and convincing and proof beyond a reasonable doubt) for disciplinary and other matters? Do you fully understand the various alternatives to traditional discipline along with their pros and cons and how and in what circumstances to apply them for the best possible outcomes for all concerned? And last but certainly not least can you identify the various methods of dispute resolution available under a CBA and their advantages as well as disadvantages?

As with the previous Parts 1-3 of this A-Z Labor Relations Survival Guide, if you can’t answer all the above with confidence, then this last of four webinars is just what you will need to complete your developing body of knowledge to improve your Labor Relations skill set for an informed and successful future.

Bob Oberstein is uniquely qualified with over 50 years of Labor Relations experience from both sides of the table in both the private and public sectors as advocate, mediator, arbitrator and trainer. Bob is the recipient of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service Director's Award for lifetime achievement in promoting positive Labor Management Relations. Bob was also the Director of the Labor Management Relations BA and certificate programs at Ottawa University, Phoenix where he developed and taught labor relations related courses on both the graduate and undergraduate levels including “The Science and Art of Negotiations.” Bob has several published articles to his credit in addition to his arbitration awards and has also been recognized in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers as well as in “Who’s Who in America.” Additionally, Bob has served on several boards, commissions, and panels where he participated in resolving or adjudicating all manner of workplace issues in a variety of industries. Bob also continues his work with students as a coach for a local Law school’s mediation and negotiation competition teams and a judge for their internal competitions as well as for international competitions in both negotiations and mediation. Moreover, Bob holds a Master of Jurisprudence in Labor and Employment Law from Tulane University's School of Law. Bob has and continues to serve the labor management community as well as other groups as an Arbitrator, Mediator, Facilitator, Investigator, Trainer and Educator.