LEADERSHIP IN A UNION ENVIRONMENT

A practical workshop to provide leaders with the tools to promote harmony and improve performance in the workplace. 

BACKGROUND

Managing in a union shop has become increasing complex because of the added stakeholders, legislative issues and challenging culture that may have been created.  At the same time, front-line managers have the challenge of promoting continuous improvement amid perceptions that they have little power to get the job done effectively.

This skill-laden workshop will be provided by experts in two fields – one addressing the paralegal issues and the other the leadership initiative to ensure success.

Attendees will be provided with the foundation of maintaining an effective and motivated workforce.

Learn to

• Improve performance while operating within the letter and spirit of the collective agreement
• Understand and apply legal issues relating to union issues
• Operate effectively within the boundaries of your collective agreement
• Make the disciplinary process as painless as possible
• Maintain effective working relationships with union representatives
• Represent the interests of management professionally
• Motivate staff so that the interests of all stakeholders are met
• Deal effectively with poor performers
• Reduce the number of disciplinary actions

LENGTH OF PROGRAM

2 days

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

• Managers and front-line supervisors responsible for creating a positive working relationship with unionized workers and for creating a high-performance work
• New human resource staff needing a broad overview of labour relations challenges and solutions
• More senior managers new to a unionized environment

PROGRAM OUTLINE

Day 1 Para-legal issues

• Limitations and opportunities in dealing with the Labour Relations Act
• Differences between the private and public sectors
• The collective agreement: articles of importance including scheduling, hours of work, rules of conduct etc.
• The grievance procedure
• Disciplinary issues including just cause, suspension and investigation of facts.
• Dealing with absenteeism: culpable and non-culpable issues
• Programs to reduce absenteeism
• The Human Rights Code.  Harassment, discrimination and duty to accommodate.

Day 2 Management Challenges and Opportunities

• The challenge of daily supervision
• Representing management while meeting the needs of staff at the same time
• Breaking the cycle of cynicisms.
• Knowing what it takes to motivate staff.
• The building blocks of high performance
• Setting Expectations and Performance Improvement
• The impact of your expectations on performance
• Changing the performance mindset with challenging S.M.A.R.T goals
• Using measurement to motivate staff and ensure accountability.
• Recognition: limitations and opportunities.
• Dealing with difficult employees: having constructive feedback sessions that doesn’t feel like punishment.

Special features and deliverables.

As part of the program, participants will receive:

• A pragmatic workbook containing over a dozen forms that the supervisor can use to set up a formal performance improvement program
• A copy of Cy Charney’s best selling book, The Instant Manager
• A self evaluation of your leadership style using the DISC instrument