Bloom’s Taxonomy: LIII, LIV
Definition
- LI. Remembering: Exhibit memory of previously learned material by recalling facts, terms, basic concepts and answers.
- LII. Understanding: Demonstrate understanding of facts and ideas by organizing, comparing, translating, interpreting, giving descriptions and stating main ideas.
- LIII. Applying: Solve problems in new situations by applying acquired knowledge, facts, techniques and rules in a different way.
- LIV. Analyzing: Examine and break information into parts by identifying motives or causes. Make inferences and find evidence to support generalizations.
- LV. Evaluating: Present and defend opinions by making judgments about information, validity of ideas, or quality of work based on a set of criteria.
- LVI. Creating: Compile information together in a different way by combining elements in a new pattern or proposing alternative solutions.
Topic Description
This topic provides food and beverage processing managers with skills to lead a unionized workplace. Some of the key differences between a unionized versus non-unionized workplace include a collective bargaining process conducted by the organization and union representatives, the legal obligations due to the addition of a collective agreement, and the impact of adding an intermediary between the employees and company management. The primary role of managers is to ensure that employees do their jobs and get results. Therefore, they have the authority and the responsibility to discipline employees who are not performing, whether unionized or not. This topic will review techniques for managing the performance of unionized employees and the involvement of union representatives in the performance management process.
The terms and conditions within the collective agreement affect the day-to-day management of unionized employees. Therefore, it is important that frontline managers understand (1) their role in applying the provisions of the collective agreement, (2) how to handle common scenarios and issues where the terms and conditions in the collective agreement must be considered, and (3) how grievances could result when the union disputes management decisions.
The primary role of managers is to ensure that employees do their jobs and get results. Therefore, they have the authority and the responsibility to manage employees who are not performing, whether unionized or not. This module will review techniques for managing the performance of unionized employees and the involvement of union representatives in the performance management process.
Learning Objectives
LO1. Lead a unionized workforce.
When a union is established within an organization, the company is said to be unionized. This module will help participants describe a union, the role of a union within the workplace, and how employees become members of that union. Understanding how to facilitate communications between management and the union will also be discussed.
Detailed Competencies = Performance indicators include but are not limited to:
- P1. Describe a union.
- P2. Identify the role of a union within the workplace.
- a. Understanding the union viewpoint.
- b. Understanding the employer viewpoint.
- P3. Outline how and why employees join the union.
- P4. Understand how to facilitate communications between management and the union.
LO2. Establish collective bargaining process.
When a workplace is unionized, the employer and union work together to reach a collective agreement. This process is defined as collective bargaining, and the resulting collective agreement is a contract that sets out the terms and conditions applicable to employees within that bargaining unit. By completing this unit, participants will understand the manager’s role in the collective bargaining process and key aspects of the resulting collective agreement.
Detailed Competencies = Performance indicators include but are not limited to:
- P1. Define the terms and goals of the bargaining process.
- P2. Establish strategies to facilitate and achieve the employer’s goals within the bargaining process.
- P3. Implement good bargaining practices with union representatives.
- P4. Define the terms and process when renegotiating the collective agreement.
LO3. Describe the manager’s role in developing positive relationships with union representatives.
Managers also have a role to play in developing positive relationships between the union and the employer. Their role is more focused on building a collaborative relationship with the on-job union representative: the shop steward.
Detailed Competencies = Performance indicators include but are not limited to:
- P1. Design protocols to handle labour relations and unions.
- P2. Establish a culture that fosters collaboration between management and workforce steward relations.
- a. Benefit to the company.
- b. Benefit to operations.
- c. Benefit to employees.
- P3. Define strategies for building manager-shop steward relations.
LO4. Develop and set strategies to apply collective agreement terms and conditions.
Managers have a responsibility to understand and apply the terms and conditions of the collective agreement applicable to their employee group. This requires knowledge, understanding, and appropriate application when managing unionized employees.
Detailed Competencies = Performance indicators include but are not limited to:
- P1. Define the manager’s responsibility.
- a. Understand the difference between company Human Resources policies versus provisions within the collective agreement.
- P2. Develop knowledge and understanding of terms and conditions applicable to the employee group.
- P3. Manage within the terms and conditions of the collective agreement.
- a. Discipline employees subject to the guidelines laid out in the collective agreement.
- b. Understand why appropriate application is critical.
- P4. Coordinate with supervisors to ensure that employee complaints are dealt with efficiently.
- P5. Facilitate communications between management and the union.
- P6. Preclude and resolve common problems during the life of the collective agreement.
- P7. Permit both parties (the employer and the union) to enter negotiations with much of the groundwork completed.
- P8. Know when to involve Human Resources.
LO5. Design grievance procedure.
One of the challenges of managing a unionized workforce is that the union may disagree with the manner in which the terms and conditions of the collective agreement are applied. When a dispute of this type occurs, a grievance is filed and must be dealt with.
Detailed Competencies = Performance indicators include but are not limited to:
- P1. Definition of a grievance.
- P2. Steps in the grievance procedure.
- a. Union, Human Resources, and management roles.
- P3. Review role of the manager.
- a. How to prepare.
- b. How to respond.
LO6. Differentiate between employee relations and labour relations.
Labour relations in general is the relationship between the union and the employer. In this module, the term employee relations refers specifically to the relationship between the employer and unionized employees. This relationship is directly impacted by the effectiveness of the day-to-day management demonstrated by frontline leaders.
Detailed Competencies = Performance indicators include but are not limited to:
- P1. Define employee relations versus labour relations.
- P2. Facilitate employees’ loyalty and duty of service to the employer while respecting their rights under the collective agreement.
- P3. Create a culture that respects the employees’ relationship to both the employer and the union.
- P4. Collaborate and coordinate effectively with all stakeholders, such as the employer, unionized employees, and frontline supervisors.
LO7. Demonstrate leadership in a unionized work environment.
The primary role of managers is to ensure employees do their jobs and get results. While managing in a unionized work environment has challenges, the impact of good leadership and trust with respect to building positive relationships is just as critical with unionized employees as it is with a non-union workforce.
Detailed Competencies = Performance indicators include but are not limited to:
- P1. Discuss with supervisors the impact of leadership and trust on employee relations.
- P2. Explain to supervisors best practices for a leadership style that builds sustainable trust.
- P3. Efficient handling of employee concerns and issues.
- a. Being available to handle employee concerns and issues in a timely fashion, to avoid employees escalating the issue to the union representative for resolution.
- b. Resolving employee issues and problems in a fair and equitable manner.
- P4. Overcoming challenges of the unionized work environment.
- a. Restrictions due to the collective agreement.
- b. Assisting supervisors in reducing friction arising from daily interpretation of the collective agreement.
- c. Third party involvement when handling employee issues.
- d. Dealing with supervisors’ reluctance to make decisions due to fear of grievances being filed.
- e. Others.
LO8. Motivate the unionized workforce.
Motivated employees, whether unionized or not, will demonstrate a higher level of performance, be better team members, display a more positive attitude, and as a result be easier to manage. Therefore, managers should support supervisors in applying the same motivational techniques used with non-union employees. If instead of a positive attitude a negative attitude is demonstrated when interpreting and applying the terms of the collective agreement, a confrontational relationship could result.
Detailed Competencies = Performance indicators include but are not limited to:
- P1. Understand motivational techniques specific to a unionized workforce.
- P2. Review best practices for assisting supervisors to motivate frontline employees.
- P3. Avoid confrontation by understanding how to assist supervisors in demonstrating a positive attitude.
LO9. Describe and communicate performance expectations to supervisors with respect to unionized frontline workers.
Managers must provide leadership for supervisors with respect to unionized frontline workers, to maintain and improve employees’ performance and meet the employer’s expectations.
Detailed Competencies = Performance indicators include but are not limited to:
- P1. Describe the performance expectations of supervisors in relation to unionized frontline workers.
- P2. Set collaborative communication procedures.
- P3. Define performance expectations specific to a supervisor role.
- a. Explain the importance of being consistent with job descriptions and job roles as defined in union documents.
- b. Explain why consistency and documentation are key.
- P4. Train and provide ongoing feedback to supervisors.
- P5. Set specific performance expectations core for both supervisors and unionized frontline workers.
- P6. Explain the importance of documentation in the case of any future disciplinary action involving unionized frontline workers.
LO10. Address challenging employee behaviours.
Employees may display challenging behaviours that affect their performance or the performance of the team. Managers also have a responsibility to assist supervisors in addressing these issues, especially if the behaviours are contrary to the workplace culture, company values, Human Resources policies, and/or negatively affect the motivation or performance of team members.
Detailed Competencies = Performance indicators include but are not limited to:
- P1. Assist supervisors in identifying challenging employee behaviours contrary to the expectations of all employees.
- a. Review examples of employee behaviours that should be addressed such as poor conduct, harassment, absenteeism, tardiness, team conflict, etc.
- b. Describe the link to Human Resources policies and/or the collective agreement.
- P2. Strategize how to address challenging behaviours.
- P3. Compare the steps of the constructive feedback process to the steps for addressing challenging behaviours.
- a. State when Human Resources should be involved or take the lead.
- b. Explain when the union, rather than Human Resources or the supervisor, should be asked to address employee behaviour.
- P4. Apply an empathetic approach to avoiding grievances.
LO11. Apply disciplinary action consistent with the provisions of the collective agreement.
Unfortunately, there will be times when an employee’s performance or behaviour does not improve, and disciplinary action must be taken. While managers are not usually involved in flagging an ongoing issue (this would be the role of the frontline supervisor), they are part of the process that escalates the issue to the attention of Human Resources, which then initiates the disciplinary process.
Detailed Competencies = Performance indicators include but are not limited to:
- P1. Assist supervisor in recognizing when lack of performance becomes a disciplinary issue.
- a. Identify action that must be taken before disciplinary action is initiated.
- b. State the role of the manager in recommending disciplinary action.
- P2. Review steps involved in the disciplinary process, including progressive discipline.
- a. Understand which process takes precedence: the company Human Resources process or the process included in the collective agreement.
- b. Identify the role of Human Resources, management, and managers in the progressive disciplinary process.
- c. Explain when and how the union should be involved.
- P3. Maintain union and employee relations during the disciplinary process.
- a. Understand the manager’s impact on improving performance and maintaining employee motivation to improve.
- P4. Review best practices and that will assist in avoiding a grievance.
Links to existing courses
NA
Approved Accredited Training Programs (Academic, Industries, Private Trainer)
NA
Recognition of worker skills = Certification
NA
Evaluation technics / assessment
- Quizzes
- Written tests
- Multiple choice questions
- Self-assessment and reflection
