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| The Negotiations Preparation for Bargaining Committees program at the Winpisinger Education and Technology Center includes realistic mock negotiation sessions to prepare committee members for actual negotiations. |
Members of the negotiating committee for IAM Local 516 in Manitowoc, WI have completed the Negotiations Preparation for Bargaining Committees program at the William Winpisinger Education and Technology Center (WWW) in Hollywood, MD.
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| Members of IAM Local 516 Negotiating Committee completed the Negotiations Preparation program at the Winpisinger Center in Hollywood, MD. Back row from left: Negotiating Committee Members Ben Gauger, Jeff Troullier and Creig Holschbach. Second row: Shop Chair Scott Rosinsky and District 10 Business Rep. and Lead Negotiator Ben Elizondo. Front: Negotiating Committee Member Gary Miller. |
Local 516’s current contract with Manitowoc Cranes expires January 31, 2016 and negotiations with the company will begin in early January. IAM District 10 Business Representative Ben Elizondo is the lead negotiator for the group.
“This program has made us more disciplined,” said Elizondo. “We are definitely going to be smarter at the bargaining table.”
Along with the Winpisinger staff, members of the IAM Legal and Strategic Resources Departments joined with the negotiating team to develop their plan for negotiations.
“This is an eye opening experience,” said negotiating committee member Scott Rosinsky. “It’s very good training and useful information to bring back and share with the members.”
“This class brings out the true reasons why we fight for our cause,” said fellow negotiating committee member Jeff Troullier.
The bargaining unit of 209 members, who build “crawler” cranes, endured a bitter nine-week strike in 2011. Upon completing the WWW program, the committee will bring new tactics and skills to the bargaining table for their upcoming negotiations.
“This class was informative and an eye opener for the things that can be done with negotiations and at home with the social aspect,” said negotiating committee member Creig Holschbach.
As part of the program, the negotiating committee members are trained in drafting contract language, communications, strategic planning and legal issues. The training culminates in an all-too-real mock negotiation, using actual issues the committee will bring to the table. WWW staff members play the role of company negotiators.
