Web sight<br> Negotiating IR Web sites

This issue’s CloseUp looks at improving the negotiating climate through a less adversarial approach. For those involved in labour relations, here are some sites of interest.

Win-win solutions
www.cga-canada.org/eng/magazine/julaug00/workplace_e.htm

CGA Magazine, published by the Certified General Accountants, presents an introductory article to the subject of principled negotiation, also know as mutual gains bargaining.

Principled negotiation fundamentally looks for a “win-win” result, as opposed to the traditional “win-lose” objectives of confrontational approaches. The process requires that negotiators:
•identify the issue, or issues, of the negotiation;
•determine the problems linked to each issue;
•define each problem;
•communicate both common and divergent interests underlying the problems;
•formulate a broad range of solutions;
•look for possible solutions; and
•choose a mutual gains solution or solutions.

Preventive medicine
www.crp.cornell.edu/projects/restructuring/doc/labor/reviews/mutualgains.html

Cornell University has posted an article on mutual gains bargaining by Darth Vaughn. This is a quick read on the subject and provides the reader with information on the process, keys to success, a summary of benefits of using the approach, and a number of resources, some of which are links to other sites. For those with a more serious interest in the topic, Cornell offers a two-day seminar on the topic. Seminar details are available through one of the links provided.

Mutual gains bargaining: The Canadian experience
http://labour-travail.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/pdf/pdf_e/May95.pdf

This last article on mutual gains bargaining is posted at the Human Resources Development Canada site. It is in pdf form so the Acrobat Reader is required to view the document. The article mostly presents the subject consistent with the above links, however, there are some interesting comments regarding challenges with the process as it relates to job security.

ADR Institute of Canada
www.amic.org/professional/search_adv.asp

This site promotes dispute resolution services in Canada, and has a lot of useful information about alternative dispute resolution including a series of frequently asked questions and a 12-question quiz on the subject, click on “News & Information” and then “Article.” There are also a number of links including those for regional affiliates.

Weekly work report
www.chass.utoronto.ca/cir/library/wwreports/wwrarchives.html

Not specifically on improving the negotiating climate but this University of Toronto Web site provides a lot of interesting IR material. The site is enormous and it may take a while to navigate for those unfamiliar with this territory. The faculty of Arts and Science maintains its own Web space, and it is there that you will find the pages devoted to the Centre for Industrial Relations. The site presents the Weekly Work Report, which is “a convenient way to keep current with the news and information in Canadian HR and IR.” This report commenced in February of this year, so for those who have not visited the site recently, it is worth a look.

In our next issue later this month, we look at online tools useful for those involved in employee relocation.

Joe Nunes is an actuary and president of Actuarial Solutions Inc. in Oakville, Ont. He can be reached at (905) 257-2038 or [email protected].

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