Ten Truths About Employee Communication In A Unionized Environment
Ten Truths About Employee Communication In A Unionized Environment
in a Unionized Environment
by John J. Barr
Principal,
Cascadia Communication Associates
contact: consultjohn@dccnet.com
www.prheadquarters.com
1. Define the issues, and weave your definition into
everything you communicate. If you allow the union to define
what the issues are in a dispute, you always lose.
2. Seize every opportunity to talk and listen to your employees
and treat them with respect. Don’t persuade the union; persuade your
employees.
3. Learn how to debate. Unions know how to already.
4. Don’t wait for the union to strike the first blow; understand
that they’ll always try.
5. Lawyers have an essential role in advising management, but do not allow them to dictate employee communication strategy.
6. Likewise for negotiators.
7. Don’t fall for the myth that there is a distinction between
“media” and “employee” communication. The union uses the
media to communicate to its members and its members to
communicate to the media; so must you.
8. The dictum, “don’t negotiate through the media”, is a union
myth designed to unilaterally disarm management in the
contest for employee and public support. The unions negotiate
through the media more or less continually. If you don’t use
the media, you’ll be the only party that isn’t.
9. It’s usually a safe assumption that media will tend, however slightly, to sympathize with the union (and if not with the union, with employees). Track what reporters report. If their reports show bias, call them on it. Insist on factual reporting and balance.
10. Don’t be afraid to communicate out of fear that the union will
claim “foul” or hit you with an unfair labour practice
complaint. They’ll probably do both. No matter what you do. Don’t play the communication game by the union’s rules.
-30-
Ten Truths About Employee Communication In A Unionized Environment - To learn more about this author, visit John Barr's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
Ten Truths About Employee Communication
in a Unionized Environment
by John J. Barr
Principal,
Cascadia Communication Associates
contact: consultjohn@dccnet.com
www.prheadquarters.com
1. Define the issues, and weave your definition into
everything you communicate. If you allow the union to define
what the issues are in a dispute, you always lose.
2. Seize every opportunity to talk and listen to your employees
and treat them with respect. Don’t persuade the union; persuade your
employees.
3. Learn how to debate. Unions know how to already.
4. Don’t wait for the union to strike the first blow; understand
that they’ll always try.
5. Lawyers have an essential role in advising management, but do not allow them to dictate employee communication strategy.
6. Likewise for negotiators.
7. Don’t fall for the myth that there is a distinction between
“media” and “employee” communication. The union uses the
media to communicate to its members and its members to
communicate to the media; so must you.
8. The dictum, “don’t negotiate through the media”, is a union
myth designed to unilaterally disarm management in the
contest for employee and public support. The unions negotiate
through the media more or less continually. If you don’t use
the media, you’ll be the only party that isn’t.
9. It’s usually a safe assumption that media will tend, however slightly, to sympathize with the union (and if not with the union, with employees). Track what reporters report. If their reports show bias, call them on it. Insist on factual reporting and balance.
10. Don’t be afraid to communicate out of fear that the union will
claim “foul” or hit you with an unfair labour practice
complaint. They’ll probably do both. No matter what you do. Don’t play the communication game by the union’s rules.
-30-
Ten Truths About Employee Communication In A Unionized Environment - To learn more about this author, visit John Barr's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
 | |
 |
No article feedback found. |
| |
Leave Your Feedback |
 | |
| |||
|
To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us. |
 | |
|  |
Subscribe to John's articles
 | |
|
|  |
 | |
|
| |
 | |||||||
|
 | ||
 |
||
 |
||
 |
||
|
| ||
 |
| Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details. |
|
|
 |
| Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media |
|
|
 |
"Learn straight from Evan how you can Make a Full Time Income (And More) from a Website"
Click Here To Learn More |
|
|
|
|
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
|
|
|
 Salesperson Selection Put Yourself Into the Top 3% Solving Problems Tips for QuickBooks Backup How To Double Your Business |
|
 | ||
 |
Top 50 Blogs For Startups
Top Blogs To Watch In 2009 | |
 |
Top 50 SEO Posts - 2007
Top SEO Posts of the Year | |
| ||
 | ||||
| ||||
|
| ||||
| ||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||
|
Email us your ideas on how to make our website more valuable! Thank you Sharon from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for your suggestions to make the newsletter look like the website and profile younger entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs!
|
|
|
