Every CBA that I have had led and negotiated in the past did not come in a silver platter. A battle is won not so much because you have a great team but because you have prepared your team to win. Preparation is key but it may not be enough to make a breakthrough in a Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiation.
I have participated and/or negotiated more than 10 CBAs in my career- both successful and not so successful. Last February 8, 2018, we concluded one in another breakthrough record of only 2 meetings! How did it happen when the company could not give in so much due to business condition and the economic needs of the workers have increased due to rising cost of living? What makes this CBA negotiation different from the past?
Let me share with you the P.O.W.E.R. behind our successful negotiation with the Union.
Prayer. Both parties negotiating are just human beings and driven by their moods and individual priorities. Higher wisdom and guidance from Above can make what seems impossible a reality. We were supported by employees committed to the company who prayed hard, offered personal sacrifices for a successful CBA negotiation. I have also prayed harder this time as I have my own personal battles to conquer- both personal and work demands.
Openness. We are open to understand each other’s interests and patient enough to hear each other’s needs. Some discussions were difficult, some proposals were hard to accept but in the end due to openness and free exchange of ideas,we arrived at a common basis for agreement.
Win-Win. Most of the members of the negotiating panel from management and the Union have taken the 7-habits of Highly Effective people and this helped a lot in understanding each other’s paradigms and perspectives. We tried to negotiate based on interests and not on positions.
Energy. There is so much energy from both parties and all of us love our company and committed to sustain and make the business succeed.
Respect. We have achieved maturity and professionalism in our dealings with each other. We don’t have to use vulgar words to stress our disagreement on certain issues.
It took some time to generate such P.O.W.E.R as it did not come overnight. We have gone a long way in nurturing our relationships with our employees and I am proud to be part of a company whose core values are not just written on the walls but are well lived by its employees.