AGENTS OF LABOUR HARMONY: THE PIVOTAL AND INSTRUMENTAL ROLES

OF SHOP STEWARDS

CHARLES COTTER

PROTEA HOTEL BALALAIKA, SANDTON

9 JULY 2015

PRESENTATION OVERVIEW

• The fundamentals of shop steward practice

• The key roles of shop stewards as agents of labour harmony:

Conflict ResolverRelationship-builderNegotiator

THE FUNDAMENTALS OF SHOP STEWARD PRACTICE

• Shop stewards are the foundation of the Union - it is through them that the Trade Union is able to exercise democracy and workers’ control.

• Shop stewards are accountable both to the members who elected them and to their Union as a whole.

• They do not work on your own – they are part of the collective leadership in the workplace.

• Shop stewards can have substantial influence over the workers.

• The Ideal Shop Steward: A less militant and more insightful shop steward will be able to represent employee interests effectively without unduly risking the viability of the business and the job security of the employees.

INTRODUCTORY LEARNING ACTIVITY

• Complete the statement by inserting one (1) word. The most crucial role of a competent shop steward is …………………………………..

• Now find other learners with the same word as you.

• Jot these words down on the flip-chart.

• Each learner will have the opportunity to elaborate on their chosen word.

THE GENERAL ROLES OF A SHOP STEWARD

• Leader

• Communicator • Educator • Organizer • Monitor • Learner

BAKER’S DOZEN: PARADIGM SHIFT TO PROMOTE LABOUR HARMONY

• #1: WIN-LOSE WIN-WIN

• #2: COMPETITIVE COLLABORATIVE

• #3: SELFISH SELFLESS

• #4: MAKING CONCESSIONS REACHING CONSENSUS

• #5: COMPLIANCE-DRIVEN COMMITMENT-DRIVEN

• #6: DISTRIBUTIVE/POSITIONAL BARGAINING INTEGRATIVE/INTERESTS AND PRINCIPLES-BASED BARGAINING

BAKER’S DOZEN: PARADIGM SHIFT TO PROMOTE LABOUR HARMONY

• #7: ADDERS (SMALL WINS) MULTIPLIERS (SUSTAINABLE VICTORY)

• #8: SCARCITY MENTALITY ABUNDANCE MENTALITY

• #9: BARNSTORMERS BRAINSTORMERS

• #10: AGGRESSIVE ASSERTIVE

• #11: TOLERANCE TRUST

• #12: ENERGY SYNERGY

• #13: COERCION COHESION

COMPETENT SHOP STEWARD – KEY ROLES

COMPETENT SHOP

STEWARD

CONFLICT RESOLVER

NEGOTIATORRELATIONSHIP BUILDER

DIAGNOSTIC LEARNING ACTIVITY

• Rate your current degree of labour relations wellness by means of the 13-point checklist (scorecard).

• Identify areas of improvement.

• Recommend strategies to improve the current state of labour relations wellness.

FUNCTIONAL AND DYSFUNCTIONAL CONFLICT

• Functional conflict leads to open discussion, a better understanding of differences, innovative solutions and greater commitment.

• Functional conflict contributes to the achievement of organizational goals and enhances relationship-building.

• Dysfunctional conflict tends be more focused on emotions than on the goal/task at hand known as affect conflict/interpersonal conflict, it is destructive when a solution is not reached, energy is diverted away from the core problem and morale is negatively affected.

• Dysfunctional conflict is detrimental to relationships within the team and team performance.

CAUSES/SOURCES OF CONFLICT

• Intra-personal

• Interpersonal

• Intra-group

• Inter-group

INDICATORS/WARNING SIGNS OF CONFLICT

• Signs of conflict between individuals

• Signs of conflict between groups of people

OPTIMAL LEVELS OF CONFLICT

ADVANTAGES OF OPTIMAL LEVELS OF CONFLICT

• Co-operation from team members

• Improved performance and productivity

• Reduced stress and preserved integrity

• Solve problems as quickly as possible

• Improved relationships and teamwork

• Enhanced creativity

• Increased staff morale

SHOP STEWARD AS A CONFLICT MANAGER

• Key responsibilities include:

Helping to identify the sources of conflict

Identifying the resolution options available

Evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of each resolution option

Mediator of conflict between employees and management

PARENT-ADULT-CHILD (PAC) MODEL

CONFLICT RESOLUTION STYLES

• Shark (Competing)

• Turtle (Avoiding)

• Fox (Compromising)

• Teddy-bear (Accommodating)

• Owl (Collaborating)

CONFLICT RESOLUTION STYLES

THE 4-STEP CONFLICT RESOLUTION PROCESS – THERAPEUTIC MODEL

• Step 1: Identify sources of potential and actual conflict (DIAGNOSIS)

• Step 2: Develop conflict resolution strategies/techniques (EXAMINATION)

• Step 3: Apply conflict resolution strategies/techniques (REMEDY)

• Step 4: Control and review the effectiveness of the conflict resolution strategy/technique (FOLLOW-UP)

STEP 1: DIAGNOSIS

• Identify the sources/causes of conflict:

Intra-personalInterpersonalIntra-group or Inter-group

• The best approach to manage conflict effectively is to be proactive.

STEP 2: EXAMINATION • Develop conflict resolution strategies/techniques:

Shark (Competing) Turtle (Avoiding) Fox (Compromising) Teddy-bear (Accommodating) Owl (Collaborating)

• There is no one best way to deal with conflict. It is dependent on the current situation as well as the union members involved in the conflict.

• The golden rule is that shop stewards should take prompt action in resolving conflict. By failing to act, it may result in the conflict escalating beyond control and “spreading like a cancer” negatively affecting team performance and relationships.

STEP 3: REMEDY

• Apply conflict resolution strategies/techniques

• The key is to match strategies to situations

• Influential considerations:

Time pressure Issue importance Relationship importance Relative power

STEP 4: FOLLOW-UP

• Shop Stewards will need to confirm whether this technique has adequately resolved the conflict.

• In the event that this dysfunctional conflict persists, parties may have to resort to alternative (third party) strategies:

Conciliation Mediation Arbitration Counseling Organizational development (OD) interventions

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT – TIPS AND TECHNIQUES FOR SHOP STEWARDS

RELATIONSHIP-BUILDING SKILLS• Whether expressing or communicating a view or an opinion, shop

stewards should do this in an open, but respectful manner.

• Shop stewards need to feel comfortable enough to communicate a variety of issues to their members and the employer and also be sufficiently transparent and forthright with important information.

• Shop stewards should demonstrate the required sensitivity and compassion with due regard and respect for union member needs, emotions and rights, in their daily interpersonal engagement with union members.

• Shop stewards can utilize Johari’s Window, in order to affect openness and interpersonal trust.

JOHARI’S WINDOW

JOHARI’S WINDOW• Designed to understand the communication process between people and

consists of varying degrees of information held in common between two people as well as methods that can be used to increase the size of one’s window.

• Communication will be enhanced if the Arena is increased in size by:

Exposure of self to others

Soliciting feedback from others

• Exposure requires an open, candid and trusting approach, while feedback requires an active solicitation of feelings, opinions and values from others.

• For these processes to be fully developed, reciprocity is required.

COVEY’S EMOTIONAL BANK ACCOUNT

COVEY’S WIN-WIN MINDSET

TRUST ENHANCING STRATEGIES

• Open and transparent communication

• Mutual respect and tolerance for individual differences

• Demonstrated care and sincere interest

• Recognition for the value of each individual team member

• Co-operation and shared commitment

BUILDING CREDIBILITY

• The Credibility Formula as: Credibility = Integrity + Expertise.

• Achieving a distinguishable level of follower faith and loyalty is certainly not an overnight occurrence and can be achieved only through openness; committed people investment and a proven scorecard of leadership and performance excellence.

• Shop Steward behaviour, actions and decisions congruent with reliability, fairness, consistency and transparency are instrumental values which can enhance follower perception of the leader’s reputation, standing and eventually, their willingness to follow and support that leader.

THE VALUE OF CONSTRUCTIVE NEGOTIATION

NEGOTIATION SKILLS FOR SHOP STEWARDS

ARISTOTLE’S RHETORICAL TRIANGLE

BEING ASSERTIVE AS A NEGOTIATOR

NEGOTIATION STYLES

NEGOTIATION STRATEGIES

TYPES OF NEGOTIATION

• Integrative/Distributive

• Inductive/Deductive/Mixed

• Soft/Hard/Principled

• Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)

• Non-Negotiable Positions/Options

PHASES OF NEGOTIATION

PHASE 1: PREPARATION• Preparatory points to consider

• Ground rules

• Identifying your Hot Buttons • Doing Research

• Identifying Your Walk Away Position (WAP)

• Identifying Your Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA)

• Working within the Zone of Possible Agreement (ZOPA)

WORKING WITHIN THE ZONE OF POSSIBLE AGREEMENT (ZOPA)

STEP 2: EXCHANGING INFORMATION

• What information is held in common to both negotiating parties?

• What information you will disclose?

• What information you would prefer the other negotiating party to disclose?

STEP 3: BARGAINING

• Responding to Challenges

• Creating win-win solutions

RESPONDING TO CHALLENGES

• Ways to Stay Calm

• Detach Yourself from the Outcome

• Include Pre-determined Break Times in Your Rules

• Depersonalize the Process

• Work with the Other Party, Not Against Them

• Unspoken Conversations

• Don’t Bring Your Baggage to the Table

• Avoid Power Struggles

• Stay Focused

• Focus on a Positive Process

• Keeping an Open Mind

• Long Term and Short Term Relationships

• Making the Most of Brainstorming

• Thinking outside the Box

• Use Your Resources (Experts, Mediators, Third Parties)

• Meta-Negotiation

• Identify Common Ground

STEP 4: COMMITMENT AND CLOSING

• Once the parties have completed bargaining, made all the adjustments, and agreed upon the least uncomfortable result, the negotiation is ready for commitment and closure.

• Developing a Sustainable Agreement

What is a Sustainable Agreement?

Getting everyone’s Perspective

Reviewing the Information

Outlining the Options

Gaining Consensus

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION• Summary

• Questions

• Conclusion

• Thank You!

• Sharing of contact details

• Best of Luck with your shop steward role (as an agent of labour harmony)

CONTACT DETAILS

• Charles Cotter

• (+27) 84 562 9446

• charlescot@polka.co.za

• LinkedIn

• Twitter: Charles_Cotter