The Great Resignation changed the employment landscape in multiple ways. However, one consequence of the movement that feared organizations the most was the rise in the popularity of employee unions. Though most organizations still act reluctant toward union negotiation, HR professionals can significantly make these negotiations successful.
As an HR professional, you can utilize your knowledge and understanding of employee concerns and the following tips to achieve win-win union negotiation results:
Don’t Delay the Negotiation
Organizations that try to dissolve unions only succeed in harming themselves. On the other hand, accepting the employee unions early on and inviting them for negotiation allows you to build a position relationship with them.
As an HR professional, you can benefit from your existing relationship with employees to invite their union rep to a meeting early on. This move will convey the message that as the HR, you are on the employees’ side and will do your best to meet their demands.
Be Welcoming and Cordial
Forming unions is an employee right. As an HR professional, you must acknowledge this fact and deliver it to the organization leaders, so they don’t make things difficult for themselves. Organization leaders who try to offer side deals or threaten employees with lawsuits must not be acknowledged during official union negotiations. Instead, you must report such leaders to employers to do your job more efficiently.
You must also avoid tactics that can lead to tension between employees and employers. Accept the employees exercising their rights and ensure they have your support.
Prepare for Worst-Case Scenarios
Union negotiations that don’t go well often result in strikes or mass quitting. HR professionals must consider the worst-case scenarios and prepare satisfactory offers and answers to avoid them. Analyzing how these scenarios harm workers can also help you prepare for them.
Don’t Restrict Discussion Topics
Restricting topics during union negotiations will show your and the organization’s hesitance toward acknowledging the complete truth. On the other hand, allowing discussion on every aspect will allow you to fully grasp the perspective of employees. This understanding will allow you to negotiate with organization leaders more effectively and meet the union demands in a way that benefits both parties.
Encourage the Organization to be Transparent
It is no longer a secret that workers across the US are compensated unfairly for their contribution to the organization. While many organizations try to hide their profit margins and earnings to not fulfill union demands, it only causes further tension between the two parties and produces harmful consequences.
As an HR professional, you must convince the organization to be transparent and meet the demands of those who make it possible to generate high profits. Transparency allows the organization to negotiate realistically and earn employee loyalty in the long term.
Lastly, remember that as an HR professional, you are closer to the employees forming a union than the organization leaders. Union negotiations that end in positive results for workers will strengthen your position as a trustworthy member of HR.
