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Wargaming:

Lessons Learned from a Pacesetter Award Winner

&

Strategizing for Negotiations Success John Duguay

Director of Human Resources

City of Wheaton, Illinois

jduguay@wheaton.il.us

Summary of Agreements

Local 150 – Operating Engineers

• Wages: 0%, 1%, 1.25%, 1.5%, 1.5%

• New Tier 2 – less vacation, less sick time,

• At Retirement - No “Severance”/sick pay out

• Cap on sick day accrual

• Draw down allowed vacation rollover

---------------

• Employees go with Union Insurance

Flat dollar annual increases = approx 6%

Summary of Agreements

Fraternal Order of Police

• Wages: 1.25%, 1.5%, 2%

• Health – increased contributions, deductibles

• Cap Sick day accrual allowed, limited payout

• New Tier 2 – No “Severance” pay

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• Discipline – Officers may choose Arbitration

or Fire & Police Commission

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Keys to Getting a Good Deal

Serve Booze as they arrive (cheap stuff)

Threaten Layoffs

Tell them you “have pictures”

Turn down the thermostat…freeze them

Turn up the thermostat…make ‘em sweat

Serve them brownies with Ex-lax…

…and lock the restrooms…

Napoleon

Bonaparte -French Emperor

-Military Genius

-Short

“The word ‘Impossible’ is not

in my dictionary.”

Keys to Getting a Good Deal

(more appropriate)

Preparation

Planning

Execution

Know when to jump

Do what you say you’re gonna do

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Colin

Powell -Army General

-Chairman JCS

-Secretary of State

-Long-time smart guy

“There are no secrets to success. It is

the result of preparation, hard work

and learning from failure.”

Preparation

IPB = Intelligence Preparation of Battlefield

• Understand your foe

• Size of union bargaining team

• Their experience level

• Personalities on the union team

• Which Mgmt skills will be tapped…

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Robert E.

Lee -General, CSA

“I cannot trust a man who cannot

control others, to control himself.”

Preparation

Who’s the Commander (spokesperson)?

• Great verbal communication skills

• Not easily rattled - WWGLD

• Not someone the union hates

• Understands and can work w/ authority given

George

Patton -Army General

-WWII Tactician

-Tough Guy

“Never tell people how to do

things, tell them what to do and

they’ll surprise you with their

ingenuity.”

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Preparation

Meet to determine Goals & Priorities

• Elected Officials

• County, Village Administrator / Manager

• Department Head

• Human Resources

Desired end results

Preparation

Previous Battlefields (Grievances, etc.)

• From the current CBA

• From the previous CBA

• Solicit Supervisors

• Keep notes through the years on issues

• Opportunities for efficiencies

• Technology required changes

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Planning

Assign duties

• Spokesperson

• Minutes – what happened, to-do’s

• Research

Planning

Possible Priorities of Union

• “Big” union’s priorities

• Their legal team/lawyer’s priorities

• What “local” failed to get last time

Planning

Draft initial proposal

Set up Binder

Set up computer

Day of…..Set up meeting space

• Coffee?

• Seating arrangements

• Space / rooms for both sides

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Now…

…what ‘cha gonna do?

Mahatma

Gandhi -Man of Peace

“Anger and intolerance are the

enemies of correct understanding”

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Non-verbal Communication

Two eyes / Two ears

One mouth

Union Team’s expressions

• Frown or smile

• Rolling eyes

• Exhaling

• Head nodding

• Interest or Disinterest

Dwight

Eisenhower -General of the Army

-34th President of USA

-79 “Eisenhower” schools

“There is no victory at bargain basement prices.”

There’s more than one

way to skin a cat…

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Now the Real Work Begins…

Brainstorming or spit-balling

• Understand the given parameters

• No Stupid Idea

• Someone with an Outside View

Finance

Info Technology

Michael

Scott Boss Extraordinaire

-The Office

“Every success I’ve ever had

in life has come from my

ability to slowly and painfully

wear someone down.”

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Know When to Jump

Non-verbal behavior

Union gives up on some proposals

Animosity turns into cordial commo

• Hand shakes? Maybe even a smile?

• Deadline for Arbitration

• Everyone is tired

• Late in the Day

Very Little Movement Left

Winston

Churchill -British Prime Minister

-Cigar smoker

-Inventor of Victory sign

“Success is the ability to go from one failure to another without loss of enthusiasm.”

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Do what you say…

Neville

Chamberlain -1930s Prime Minister

-Famous last words…

“We’ve achieved peace for our

time…go get a nice quiet sleep”

…and say

what you’re gonna do

Negotiations start again after ratification

Build the trust

Force yourself to stay in touch w/ unit

Be willing to listen, open lines of commo

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How we doin’ …3 years later?

Local 150

• Cost of health insurance

• Lowered unfunded liabilities

• Set us up for other negotiations

• Lots of retirements

FOP

• Leverage for SGTs/LTs and FF Agreements

• Lowered unfunded liabilities

• ….now enter Metro Alliance of Police

Jimmy

Valvano -Coach NC State

-Motivational Speaker

“Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.”

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