Our cadre of experienced Federal Sector Labor Relations, Employee Relations, and Performance Management Professionals focus on strategic labor and employee relations, using an integrative approach that balances traditional and non-traditional. We have worked in Federal agencies, at all levels, and understand the critical relationships between management and unions, supervisors and employees, and the political or military and career workforces. We know the subtleties, sensitivities and complexities agencies deal with every day in resolving labor and employee relations issues to strategically support organizational mission.
Capabilities
Strategic services:
(click each for description)
In advisory services, we help develop bargaining approaches using traditional and non-traditional bargaining strategies. We work with the bargaining team to prepare for negotiations, mediation and impasse. Our experienced advocates will advise agencies preparing disciplinary, adverse and performance-based actions. We assist Agencies with unit determination, ULP and arbitration hearings. We help prepare for ADR meetings and MSPB hearings. Other services offered include options for collaborative union-management councils as well as structures for internal dispute resolution.
Advisory Services include:
Assisting agencies balance traditional and non-traditional approaches to the union - management relationship, including:
- Creating effective union-management boards
- Effectively using forcing and fostering strategies in negotiations
- Crafting internal dispute resolution procedures
- Managing change in a unionized environment
- Developing relationships that effectively deal with differences
Helping Agencies develop or improve bargaining capacity and preparation, including
- Advising on all bargaining situations i.e., ground rules, contract, mid-term and Impact/implementation
- Advising management on bargaining team structure and membership
- Developing management proposals and/or interests for presentation
- Identifying table tactics and strategies
- Analyzing union proposals and developing counterproposals
- Assessing negotiability and developing resolution approaches
- Preparing responses to union negotiability appeals
- Assisting Agencies on discipline and performance problems – e.g.,
- Drafting disciplinary, adverse action and performance based action correspondence, documents and responses
- Developing alternate resolution approaches including settlement, alternate discipline and other management actions
Providing backup and advice with third party case handling such as matters before FLRA, Arbitrators, and FSIP
- Responding to grievances and preliminary 3rd party issues
- Developing management’s case
- Assisting with witness preparation
- Assisting with evidence development
- Drafting opening statements and briefs
In training, we offer basic and advanced training for managers and supervisors in leadership and management skills programs for labor and employee relations practitioners in labor relations, employee relations, negotiations, and planning.
In planning/implementing training, preceding steps to consider include training needs assessment/survey and building a business case for training as part of a strategic plan.
General framework of training offered includes the following:
- Basic Training for LR Professionals
- Overview LR training for managers: - agency specific
- Labor Relations Decisions: Executives Practicum
- Basic Employee Relations for managers
- Basic Management and supervision
- Strategic approaches for managing relationships and change
- Bargaining team training
- Managing performance under the Agency’s performance plan
- Strategic Planning
- Conflict Management/Resolution
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