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Interest-Based BargainingPhoto of Andrea Wood leading a discussion with union members

September 2002

One of the unique services Local 535 trainer Seth Schapiro offers is training and facilitation to set-up and run interest-based bargaining. The City of Berkeley was one of the first employers to utilize this technique. Under this approach, the union and management bring to the table a list of issue statements, with an explanation of why each issue is important. The group brainstorms, looking at the issue from different perspectives, and then attempts a straw design of the solution. From the straw design, they go through several stages, making the design more and more concrete until they resolve the issue.

“It’s a consensus-building process,” explains Local 535 field staff Anes Lewis Partridge. “It works well for non-monetary issues. You can discuss the issue from management’s and the union’s perspective and come to a common solution. Then whatever the outcome, there is some buy-in,”she added.

Photo of Sharon Buckner wearing a SEIU shirt

Berkeley Chapter Vice President Sharon Buckner has been in negotiations using IBB twice. “It is a better process to negotiate a contract, because you get the interest as well as the solutions from a joint effort.” For example, in the last contract the city was involved in a project for which they needed to bring in temporary employees outside of civil service. “We went through the history and the interest,” Buckner reports. “The union understood that it was imperative to have temporary employees, but only for a designated amount of time. We agreed to this plan but stipulated that if the employment was for longer than a specified time period, the employees would get permanent positions."

Ray JeffersonRecreation leader Ray Jefferson was at first skeptical and still feels the approach has its limits. However, he concedes that the process has helped on some important issues. His chapter, the Part-Time Recreation Leaders Association, wanted to bring in more part-time positions. "We had figures and numbers to prove our position and they couldn't dispute it. We demonstrated the interest and common ground. So they had to accept it. Given the personality of some of the managers in recreation, it definitely worked a lot better. In the past they have been pretty stubborn-headed. They have taken the position that they aren't interested in what benefits the employees; they were only interested in what they wanted."

Meridith Lear speakingHazardous materials specialist Meridith Lear found the process to be much more helpful than a traditional approach in resolving language issues around work schedules, work environments, protective clothing, and safety enhancement. "This was my first time negotiating and I had no idea. We got a two-day training where we walked through what to expect, and I feel confident to hold my own against management. We have benefited from having Seth here facilitating. Otherwise it might be at a standstill."

One of the reasons for the success of the IBB approach is that Schapiro trained both management and the union together on the process, so they would start with a common understanding. Then he facilitated the procedure to make it work.