Orbis’
Collaboration-Based Bargaining™

~~Creating Non-stop Win/Win~~

The collective bargaining process traditionally has relied upon the two parties—management and union—taking and defending positions in order to maximize their opportunity for success. Research has concluded that the more extreme the position, the better the outcome for that party.

Interest-Based Bargaining (IBB) refers to a form of negotiating where the parties look for common ground and attempt to satisfy mutual interests through the bargaining process.

IBB changes the paradigm from win-lose to win-win. Trust builds, and results last. No longer is the scenario one where parties battle every two or three years only to complete a process that will renew the bloodshed as the wounds are still healing.

Where IBB allows management to respect employees—and vise versa—it still falls short of completely unlocking the power of employees to benefit the agency or organization.

This is where Collaboration-Based Bargaining™ begins.

Collaboration-Based Bargaining™ adds a step to IBB in the interim period.

During the typical two-to-three year period between negotiations, numerous opportunities for employees to drive win-win solutions exist.

It is no secret, for example, that health insurance costs are doubling every two to three years these days. These cost escalations threaten to curtail government service, or weaken employee benefits, or both. What better time to find new cost saving measures than when the crisis occurs? Why wait two more years to address a much more gargantuan problem?

Collaboration-Based Bargaining utilizes interim committees between negotiation processes that identify and resolve issues before they become entrenched. Results include:

• Increased organizational morale and communication
• Strengthening of the budget
• Improved services and products

Win-win is far better than win-lose, and non-stop winning is even better.