Pocket Guide to the Basics of Labor Relations (6th ed., 2019)

It takes time and experience to understand the nuances of labor relations, but here’s a start.

If you are a manager who has just been given an assignment that includes labor relations responsibility, or if you are a newly appointed union representative, you may be feeling a bit overwhelmed. It’s easy to make mistakes, and there’s pressure from both sides! This Pocket Guide will help you get your bearings and survive the initial stages of what can be a difficult, but rewarding, line of work. This book will tell you:

• Why we have public employee unions
• State laws that regulate labor relations
• The language of labor relations
• What is in the typical contract
• How to negotiate and administer labor agreements
• How to handle grievances
• What to do in arbitration and unfair practice hearings
• How to handle agency shop arrangements
• How to cope with extraordinary situations (including downsizing and/or restructuring, work actions, and organizing drives).

Offering advice and resources, Pocket Guide to the Basics of Labor Relations includes a section on managing your bargaining team and how best to work with different types of personalities.

About the Author

Rhonda Albey is a principal analyst in the Employee Relations Division of the California Accounting Office, where she has working since 1990, following other budget/administrative positions in her 24-year career. She holds a Ph.D. From UCLA in Education and Management, and has been an instructor in the Undergraduate Management Program at the University of Phoenix since 1996.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction (Page 1)
2. The Need for Public Employee Unions (Page 3)
   1. History of Public Sector Labor Relations in California (Page 3)
   2. What Unions Do That Civil Service Does Not (Page 5)
3. State Laws Governing Public Employee Relations (Page 8)
   1. Employer Rights and Responsibilities (Page 11)
   2. Union Rights and Responsibilities (Page 12)
   3. Employee Rights and Responsibilities (Page 12)
4. The Language of Labor Relations (Page 14)
5. What Labor Relations Representatives Do All Day (Page 20)
6. What is the Contract? (Page 24)
   1. Articles and Provisions (Page 26)
   2. Past Practice (Page 26)
7. Contract Negotiations (Page 28)
   1. Preparing for Bargaining (Page 28)
   2. Roles of Bargaining Team Members (Page 31)
   3. Managing Your Team (Page 34)
   4. Dealing With Difficult Team Members (Page 35)
   5. Conducting Negotiations (Page 38)
   1. The Cardinal Rule of Negotiations (Page 41)
   2. Bargaining Tactics (Page 47)
   3. Bargaining Dynamics (Page 48)
   4. Communication Strategies (Page 49)
   5. Alternatives to Positional Bargaining (Page 50)
8. Enforcing Labor Contracts (Page 51)
9. Managing Conflict and Handling Grievances (Page 53)
   1. The Grievance Process (Page 55)
10. Arbitration and Unfair Practice Hearings (Page 56)
    1. Preparing for Hearings (Page 57)
11. Certification Elections (Page 61)
12. Other Challenges (Page 64)
    1. Strikes (Page 64)
    2. Workforce Reductions (Page 66)
    3. Restructuring (Page 67)
    4. Workforce Diversity (Page 68)
    5. Public Relations (Page 71)
13. Additional Resources (Page 74)
14. Index of Terms (Page 79)