Union negotiations - good excuses

HCA

During union negotiations, when the unit is asking for additional holidays, is it an acceptable excuse to say no because we don't give other employees (non-union) additional holidays and we want it to be fair and equitable across the board? You will all receive the same number of holidays off...

TN HR

That won't buy you much because you can make the same argument for just about any concession.

Try business ncecessity or just plain cost.

HRinFL

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 04-25-05 AT 05:05PM (CST)[/font][br][br]I agree with TN HR. We have six paid holidays per year, until this year it was five. Our ees always wanted to know why we did not give more paid holidays. It is difficult when you have kids in school, because of the number of holidays observed, resulting in school closures. We would explain that it was expensive to offer to all ees, finally showing them the cost of having another paid day off. We re-evaluated and determined that the time off was more imprtant to ees, and subsequently we added a holiday, and reduced the number of "sick days" ees earn per yeear from 12 to 8. We kept our cost the same, but ees now get an extra day and are happy. Maybe you can make a similar type of arrangement, it is always a give and take.

Edit: I should have noted we are not unionized, so we do not have to worry about getting a CBA ratified.

Don D

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 04-25-05 AT 06:45PM (CST)[/font][br][br]You should not offer logic or reason in the first or second round of discussions on holidays. Just tell them the company is not prepared to offer that concession and perhaps reserve it as a bargaining chip for later, down the road. Never get into a discussion of 'it's not fair because........'. If the senior management of the company feel an extra holiday is a good bargaining chip toward the end of negotiations, roll it out then as a give and take.

(edit) From the tone of your post, it is my recommendation that you absolutely need legal counsel during the negotiations. The union professionals will rip you apart if you are not prepared.

Whatever

It is not a good idea. Try figuring out the hourly cost of giving an extra day. That cost should be part of the calculation of the total wage package.

Shadowfax

I agree with some of the posts here. Ya gotta talk - ya don't gotta agree, or even persuade. Early on, I like to just say no, not interested - next issue. Do they accept that? Heck no, but you just have to stick to your guns for awhile. This may not work for all, but I think on the whole it has worked pretty well for me. It tends to sort out the 'important' stuff from the rest pretty quickly. There will always be time to 'justify' your position if you get that far. But, you have to find your own style, whatever you are comfortable with and works for the situation you are in.

HRLASS

We have an alternative situation. I don't know how many years ago they did this, but the bargaining unit employees in one union wanted a particular holiday, they got it, and the rest of the employees in the company received a floating holiday. For the non-union employees, this is an extra day, like a vacation day and can be used as such, but intended to be taken on a holiday not included in our normal paid holiday benefits, to accommodate school or religious observances.

Hunter1

My answer to your direct question is: Absolutely. I think it was Shadow who said that you have to talk, you don't have to agree; but in the meantime, you can give them any reason you want or no reason at all to not grant the holiday except that you can't afford it.