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.
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John Barr
(Visit John's Website)
John Barr, a Canadian communication
consultant with more than 30 years of
experience in media, politics, corporate
communication and consulting, works with
private and public sector organizations in
the following fields:
-Financial services (including insurance
and banking)
-Natural resources and energy
-Transportation.
He also works closely with not-for-profit
organizations, particularly in health
care.
He provides strategic communication
counsel and various kinds of communication
training (including both media and
presentation skills) to executives and
managers.
He has published three works of history,
three e-books on communication planning,
and numerous papers and contributions to
references such as The New Canadian
Encyclopedia. His work has received
numerous awards -- most recently, a Gold
Quill Award of Merit from the
International Association of Business
Communicators (IABC).
He lives in Boundary Bay, British
Columbia, and practices in Canada and the
United States.
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