Labor Union Negotiation Proposal Course

Lesson 1 • History of Collective Bargaining

Traces the evolution of worker organizing from early labor movements to modern union structures. Provides context for why current negotiation norms and protections exist.

Lesson 2 • Legal Framework for Union Negotiations

Covers the statutory rights and obligations governing collective bargaining. Connects legal boundaries to practical negotiation conduct and proposal validity.

Lesson 3 • Structure of a Collective Bargaining Agreement

Breaks down the standard anatomy of a labor contract, from recognition clauses to grievance procedures. Prepares students to draft and evaluate agreement language.

Lesson 1 • Costing and Budgeting Proposals

Teaches how to calculate the financial impact of wage, benefit, and work-rule proposals. Enables negotiators to defend proposals with accurate cost projections.

Lesson 2 • Assembling the Proposal Package

Guides students through organizing individual proposals into a coherent, prioritized package. Ensures the full package tells a consistent story aligned with member goals.

Lesson 3 • Drafting Clear Proposal Language

Introduces principles of precise, enforceable contract language. Students practice converting member demands into unambiguous written proposals.

Lesson 4 • Identifying Member Priorities

Teaches methods for gathering and ranking member concerns before drafting begins. Links member input directly to proposal content and negotiation credibility.

Lesson 1 • Management Bargaining Objectives

Examines the cost control, operational flexibility, and productivity goals that drive management proposals. Helps negotiators predict where management will resist or concede.

Lesson 2 • Reading Employer Financial Statements

Introduces basic financial literacy for interpreting employer budget documents and annual reports. Equips negotiators to challenge or validate management's ability-to-pay claims.

Lesson 3 • Anticipating Management Counterproposals

Develops skills to forecast management responses based on past contracts and current priorities. Reduces surprise at the table and enables proactive counter-strategy.

Lesson 1 • Setting Bargaining Goals and Limits

Teaches how to establish opening positions, target outcomes, and walk-away points for each issue. Creates the strategic boundaries that guide every decision at the table.

Lesson 2 • Developing Contingency Plans

Prepares negotiators for breakdowns, impasse, and unexpected management moves. Ensures the team has pre-approved responses for every likely scenario.

Lesson 3 • Pre-Negotiation Preparation Checklist

Consolidates all strategic planning into a structured readiness checklist. Confirms that research, proposals, team roles, and contingencies are complete before bargaining begins.

Lesson 4 • Building the Bargaining Team

Defines roles, responsibilities, and communication protocols for an effective negotiating team. Prevents internal conflict and ensures a unified front at the table.

Lesson 1 • Opening the Bargaining Session

Covers how to set tone, establish ground rules, and present the union's opening position persuasively. A strong opening frames the entire negotiation in the union's favor.

Lesson 2 • Making and Responding to Counteroffers

Covers the mechanics of trading proposals, making conditional offers, and evaluating counterproposals in real time. Keeps negotiations moving toward agreement without sacrificing key gains.

Lesson 3 • Active Listening and Information Gathering

Teaches listening techniques that extract management's true priorities and constraints during sessions. Converts every management statement into actionable intelligence.

Lesson 4 • Managing Tension and Difficult Moments

Provides tools for de-escalating conflict, handling bad-faith behavior, and maintaining composure under pressure. Protects negotiation progress when sessions become adversarial.

Lesson 1 • Strike Authorization and Work Actions

Explains the legal, procedural, and strategic dimensions of authorizing and conducting work actions. Ensures negotiators understand the full escalation ladder and its consequences.

Lesson 2 • Recognizing and Declaring Impasse

Defines the legal and practical criteria for declaring bargaining impasse. Ensures negotiators act at the right moment to preserve rights and options.

Lesson 3 • Fact-Finding Procedures

Covers the fact-finding process, evidence submission, and how recommendations influence final settlements. Prepares negotiators to build a persuasive factual record.

Lesson 4 • Interest-Based Bargaining as a Reset Tool

Introduces interest-based bargaining as a method to break deadlocks by shifting from positions to underlying needs. Provides a structured alternative when positional bargaining fails.

Lesson 1 • Post-Ratification Contract Administration

Introduces the transition from negotiation to contract administration and grievance handling. Prepares negotiators to protect negotiated gains during the life of the agreement.

Lesson 2 • Closing the Deal at the Table

Covers final-session tactics for closing remaining open issues and securing a tentative agreement. Prevents last-minute concessions that undermine the overall package.

Lesson 3 • Running the Ratification Vote

Covers the procedural and political dimensions of organizing a fair ratification vote. Ensures the process is transparent, inclusive, and legally sound.

Lesson 4 • Communicating the Agreement to Members

Develops strategies for explaining complex contract terms to members clearly and honestly. Builds member understanding and trust before the ratification vote.

Lesson 1 • Pattern Bargaining and Coordinated Campaigns

Examines how unions use settlements in one unit to set standards across an industry or employer. Teaches coordination strategies that amplify bargaining power beyond a single table.

Lesson 2 • Leveraging Public and Political Pressure

Teaches how to use media, community allies, and political relationships to strengthen bargaining leverage. Extends the negotiation beyond the table into the broader public arena.

Lesson 3 • Multi-Unit and Coalition Bargaining

Covers the complexities of bargaining on behalf of multiple units or in coalition with other unions. Develops skills for managing diverse member interests within a unified strategy.

Lesson 4 • Full-Cycle Bargaining Simulation

Integrates all course skills in a realistic end-to-end negotiation simulation with role-play and debrief. Produces a portfolio-ready demonstration of advanced bargaining competence.