HR & Labor Relations Consultants
Plan and Negotiate Competitive “Win-Win” Union Contracts
Our labor relations consultants have over 35 years of experience planning and negotiating innovative collective bargaining agreements for some of the world’s best companies, and often under challenging circumstances.
Working as an extension of the client’s management team, our labor relations consultants carefully assess the needs of your company and develop effective strategies for negotiating new “win-win” collective bargaining agreements; helping to position the business, union leadership, and employees for future success. Our labor relations consulting firm can lead the union contract negotiation process or help guide and support company negotiators to a successful conclusion. Hutchison Group services in this area include:
- Review and assess current collective bargaining agreements
- Identify and prioritize opportunities for improvement
- Develop “win-win” outcomes that serve the interest of all parties
- Research and recommend industry best practices
- Lead labor relation negotiations or support company negotiators
- Conduct employee relation training for managers, supervisors and negotiating team
- Propose new union contract language
- Coordinate planning meetings with union negotiators
- Develop employee communications to help secure contract ratification
“Mr. Hutchison is a fair minded and highly skilled negotiator, and was instrumental in the design and implementation of key HR innovations in some of our most difficult labor environments.”
Westinghouse Corporation
Competitive Union Contracts are Essential for Future Success
Working together with management and union leaders, our labor relations consultants help identify meaningful opportunities that can improve the company’s ability to compete in their respective industry, helping to ensure a good future for all parties. Special emphasis is placed on cost management strategies, productivity improvements, and the company’s ability to attract and retain talented employees. Lastly, working with both parties, our union relations consultants strive to structure the new agreement to promote union-management cooperation, and minimize future conflicts and disruptions. The results of our labor negotiations typically include:
- Control costs and improve productivity
- Eliminate restrictive work rules for increased flexibility
- Simplify union contracts to ease administration and reduce potential conflicts
- Improve communications to promote employee and union engagement
Advance Planning is Key “Good Contracts Require Great Preparations”
Like most things in life, great preparations are the key to producing a good outcome, and labor contract negotiations are no exception.
As a first step, we work with our clients to help them develop a good working relationship with union leaders, as mutual trust and respect are essential to achieving a great union contract. Our labor agreement negotiations often include conducting labor relations training for company supervisors. Secondly, we work with management to help them identify and prioritize their goals well in advance of the labor negotiation. Developing a supporting rationale for each objective is important.
Contract Ratification and Employee Communications
Too often, good labor contract proposals are not ratified by employees due to poor communications (i.e. misinformation, rumors, or lack of understanding). Once our labor relations consulting firm has reached a tentative agreement with the union negotiating committee, we work with our clients to prepare communications to inform and educate employees about the labor contract, why the union negotiation proposals are fair, and how everyone can benefit from their implementation.
Reassure the Board of Directors and Shareholders
As an added benefit, developing an effective plan and strategy well in advance of labor contract negotiations can help to reassure the Board of Directors and Shareholders that the union labor negotiations will have a successful outcome. As we all know, excessive costs, restrictive work practices, and union conflicts can all negatively impact stock price and company valuation.
Over 35 Years of Experience Planning and Negotiating Competitive “Win-Win” Union Agreements
Hutchison Group has had the privilege of working with many of the world’s best companies, helping them to plan and negotiate exceptional collective bargaining agreements. Our “win-win” approach has proven effective in positioning both the company and its employees for future success. Equally important, our labor relations consultants work closely with management and union leaders to end negotiations in a spirit of partnership and cooperation that will benefit both parties in the months and years ahead.
“You and your group did fantastic work during our negotiation with our multiple unions. I appreciated your support throughout the entire process… you nailed every point perfectly”
General Electric Appliance Division
For a complete list of our services please visit our services page.
- Negotiate Exceptional Labor Agreements (Click Here To Download Brochure)