POLS 7400X Collective Bargaining Simulation

The process of collective bargaining is dynamic and exciting! It is both an art and a science. The purpose of this simulation is to provide students the opportunity to apply the concepts, terms, and negotiation tactics and strategies to an actual labor agreement. The traditional classroom experience can be greatly enhanced by the addition of students’ hands-on experiences of negotiating a labor agreement. The simulation is designed to provide a practical, in-class understanding of the collective bargaining process.

The nature of the real-world collective bargaining is two teams sitting across the table from each other with the objective of negotiating an agreement that meets the interests of their party and is acceptable to the other side. This process can be easily simulated in the classroom environment by teams of students. To maximize the feel of a real-world situation, the situational analysis of the renegotiation of an agreement is provided and the complete actual agreement.

Phases

Step 1: Introduction. The class is divided into an even number of three- to five-member labor and management student teams. The teams are then given adequate time to carefully review the situational summary provided, the actual agreement, and the relevant chapter of the text. At the start of the simulation, the course instructor will provide confidential information to each labor and management team, which is a list of the economic issues and priorities developed by the parties themselves in the actual negotiation. The confidential lists can be used by theteams to determine their negotiation strategies.

Step 2: Preparation. Student teams determine their individual roles. Suggested roles include chief negotiator (the only member able to make/accept formal, written proposals), assistant chief negotiator (responsible for developing the “framing” of each proposal and writing each formal proposal), financial advisor (the “numbers” person who estimates costs of individual economic proposals, as well as the total cost of all agreed/proposed issues), business agent (keeps minutes of all negotiation sessions, proposals, and counterproposals), and researcher (responsible for researching recent agreements within the region and by similar bargaining units to provide supportive information during negotiations). Teams then develop a list of economic and noneconomic issues they will propose, as well as a list they expect the other side to propose, their opening position on each issue, and their desired position on each issue.

Step 3: Opening Session. Labor and management teams meet across the table, and each side makes an opening statement. Ground rules are agreed on, and finally initial economic and noneconomic demands are exchanged (unless another process is determined in the ground rules) and explained.

Step 4: Negotiation Sessions. Proposals and counterproposals are exchanged until agreement is reached on all mandatory issues presented in the opening session or an impasse is declared. This stage normally requires several meetings of one to three hours each. Chief negotiators are encouraged to sign and date all agreed proposals.

Step 5: Final Agreement. A final agreement that includes the exact written language of all issues that have been successfully negotiated is committed to writing and signed by the chief negotiators. The instructor then leads a class discussion of the agreement(s).

Simulation Rules

1. During their first team meeting, the members of each team agree to hours outside of class in which they can all meet, speak or communicate via email to plan and prepare for their negotiation sessions.

2. Team members each play their roles to the best of their ability. They only negotiate in good faith and strive to negotiate the best, most realistic agreement. Members generally follow the information provided in the summary, but they may also use additional information related to their research and others ideas.

3. Team members do not consult with members of any other team, past or present.

4. Teams make reasonable cost estimates of economic proposals based on the information provided in the summary as well as outside information gained through research. In addition they do not delay negotiations because they lack more economic data.

5. At the end of the time allowed by the instructor, teams either reach a written agreement on all issues or declare an impasse. No contract extension is possible. The written agreement should list each article of the current agreement with all words that have been deleted shown marked through with a line. All new words or numbers should be underlined. Any articles or sections that have not been changed can be listed as “no change.”