Labor–Management Partnerships for Public Transportation, Volume 1: Toolkit (2015)

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9 C H A P T E R 3 This guidance is designed to assist management and union leaders who are interested in estab- lishing an LMP in their transit systems. It lists 14 guidelines that have proven to be constructive in the success and sustainability of LMPs in the transit industry. The 14 guidelines are categorized into five groups according to the aspect of the partnership they are concerned with. Each guide- line has actions recommended for management and union leaders. See Table 2. Labor–Management Partnership Guidance

10 Labor–Management Partnerships for Public Transportation Table 2. Guidance for establishing and sustaining labor–management partnerships. Acons for Management Leaders Acons for Union Leaders 1. Respect the individuals represenng the other party. Management training should develop in managers an appreciation for the value of the labor movement and the effecveness of the union leadership and administrative structure. Management should also understand the different organizational structures of their unions, which are based on democracy. Without compromising efficiency or the limits it has currently set on the partnership, management should seek to exnguish any an union animus and respect the union leaders’ offices. Union leaders should develop the labor relaons skills of their successors and culvate a paern of respect for the managers. 2. Design, implement, and sustain effecve communicaon. Management must always be willing to listen to employee concerns, be aenve to employee perspecves, and provide informaon crical to the future of the transit agency to support connuing cooperaon. Among managers, they can connually reinforce respect for the leadership of union officers and clarify the gains made through cooperaon. With management, union officials must be candid but not commit the union without authority to do so. With members, union officials at all levels can constantly communicate in meengs, publicaons, and conversaons the efforts being made and the cooperave gains secured through LMPs. Union leaders should communicate issues and problems before they escalate rather than wait for negoations. B. Priorize the Best Partnership Objectives 3. Separate issues between integrative (or win win) and distribuve (or zero sum) ones. Managers should acvely listen to and understand employee interests and perspecves, and should systematically seek out those issues on which there are common goals and interests. Managers should seek to clearly understand and disnguish those issues in which there is lile commonality of interest, seeking efficient resoluon of those as well but recognizing that the laer will be more challenging to resolve through LMP processes. Many issues will contain a combinaon of integrave and distributive elements. Union leaders should study and understand the transit agency’s interests that management serves as well as the managers’ own interests and perspectives, and should systemacally seek out those issues where common goals and interests exist. Union leaders should seek to clearly understand and distinguish those issues in which there is lile commonality of interest, seeking efficient resoluon of those as well but recognizing that the laer will be more challenging to resolve through LMP processes. Many issues will contain a combinaon of integrave and distribuve elements. A. Improve the Cultural Environment for Partnership

Labor–Management Partnership Guidance 11 Table 2. (Continued). Acons for Management Leaders Acons for Union Leaders C. Advocate the Partnership 4. Establish broad based buy in from all key stakeholders with formality and structure that is made clear to all. Authorized managers should agree to the Charter or perpetua ng document. Union leaders should agree to the Charter or perpetua ng document. 5. Be confident that managers can cooperate with unions yet sll connue to defend prerogaves and efficiency. Managers must seek to explain the benefits of LMPs to governing boards and the public, and should refrain from sacrificing LMP strength to appease ephemeral anti union fears. 6. Be confident that union leaders’ cooperaon with management will not compromise members’ interests. Union officials must ins ll the membership with confidence in the LMP and should resist the tempta on to sacrifice the LMP to demonstrate resolve or concern on unrelated issues. Union officials should also demonstrate the value of the LMP and seek support for the LMP from interna onal unions and major sister unions. D. Build Strength within the Partnership 7. Outline shared goals and expectaons of the partnership. Discussions of goals and expecta ons must emerge during the course of cooperation. Management and union should reach consensus on the general goals and expecta ons of the LMP. Management should recognize union’s desire to influence decisions outside of collec ve bargaining. Discussions of goals and expecta ons must emerge during the course of coopera on. Management and union should reach consensus on the general goals and expecta ons of the LMP. Union should recognize management’s desire for produc ve coopera on with union. 8. Align all necessary resources to support the partnership. Both management and union should have a share of the financial costs. Management must fund the training program and ensure that managers and staff have the me needed for the training and communica on activities. Both management and union should have a share of the financial costs. The union should consider a financial contribu on to the partnership, and should ensure that the necessary me and funding is available for the communica on and training activities. (continued on next page)

12 Labor–Management Partnerships for Public Transportation Acons for Management Leaders Acons for Union Leaders 9. Require consistent accountability of everyone in the organization with a governing or executing responsibility for the partnership. The enre management team should understand who in the organizaon (an individual or a team) understands the partnership best and is responsible for guiding it. These LMP leaders should communicate the requirements for and limits of cooperaon as necessary. Harm done by those who undermine the partnership should be addressed. Union leadership needs to clearly enunciate the partnership policies and get buy in from union leaders and support from rank and file; harm done by those who undermine the partnership should be addressed. 10. Provide for comprehensive skill building for both union and management throughout the course of the partnership. In addi on to par cipa ng in joint skill building efforts, management can establish labor partnership skill training as part of its career building curriculum. LMP training should be designed and carried out in order to enhance management’s ability to deliver quality transit service in joint efforts with union. In addition to par cipa ng in joint skill building efforts, union officials can provide newer officials and members with exposure to partnership concepts and benefits. LMP training should be designed and carried out in order to enhance management’s ability to achieve common goals in joint efforts with union. 11. Provide an independent facilitator, if affordable. Jointly selec ng and funding an independent facilitator can further reinforce a strong partnership. An in house management designee to support the cooperave process and guard against excessive skepticism can also contribute to strengthening a partnership. Jointly selecng and funding an independent facilitator can further reinforce a strong partnership. E. Make the Most of Events 12. Support stability in union and management leadership and smooth LMP leadership transitions. Governing boards should recognize that excessive turnover in execuve leadership can materially weaken LMPs, and leadership succession processes need to be managed to ensure LMP survival and effecveness. Management teams should recognize the value of long term trusng relaonships between leaders. If union leadership changes in a destabilizing manner, management must be prepared not to ask too much of new leadership and to culvate new relationships. Unions whose membership values the long term rewards of LMPs will be able to support steady leadership and smooth transions; union leadership should plan for connuing LMPs aer terms are complete. Table 2. (Continued).

Labor–Management Partnership Guidance 13 13. Take advantage of specific successes (e.g. pension fund governance, apprenceship) to build a broader partnership. Clear successes (such as pension governance or apprenceship programs) should be carefully protected, and the processes and relaonships should be extended to other common goals. Clear successes (such as pension governance or apprenceship programs) should be carefully protected, and the processes and relaonships should be extended to other common goals. 14. Take advantage of shared challenges and crises to catalyze partnership agreements. Management should seize the opportunity of a crisis shared with the union and jointly resolved by management and union with positive outcomes to strengthen the LMP. Union leadership should seize the opportunity of a crisis shared with management and jointly resolved by management and union with positive outcomes to strengthen the LMP. Acons for Management Leaders Acons for Union Leaders Table 2. (Continued).