Bargaining in good faith is critically essential in union negotiations and is considered an obligation on both sides. The duty to bargain in good faith is required to create a give-and-take environment. Here are ten ways to ensure your side is bargaining in good faith:
- Meet with the Union at reasonable times
- Bargain over mandatory bargaining subjects
- Bargain with a sincere interest in reaching an agreement (not surfacing bargaining or stalling)
- Provide relevant information to the Union upon request
- Sign an agreement once the terms are agreed to
- Refrain from modifying any term of the CBA without the Union’s agreement
- Bargain with the Union as opposed to dealing directly with employees (bypassing the Union)
- Show respect to Union representatives and engage in a professional manner
- Provide information to allow Union representatives to perform their functions under provisions of a CBA
- Focus on problem-solving (interest-based bargaining versus positional bargaining)