Newsletter
Volume 13, No. 1
SUMMER 2002

• Labor Management Committees
• Outstanding Committees and Individuals Receive 6th Annual Earl Willford Award at Annual Meeting
• 1st Annual TCALMC Golf Tournament A Great Success!
• Executive Board Members Recognized
• "Make Smart Team Decisions"
• New Officers Elected to TCALMC Executive Board of Directors
• New TCALMC Executive Board Members Elected for 2 Year Term
• It's Membership Investment Renewal Time!
  

Labor Management Committees
By Bob McKee, Organizational Representative

"The thought behind this approach is that we need to get our creative thinking caps on and become innovators again."

The past year has been a busy one in terms of labor-management committee activity. We continue to get requests for information about setting up new labor-management partnerships, and also requests from established committees to rekindle the enthusiasm for continued collaboration on issues of importance to labor and management.

Since our Mission is to provide superior assistance to our membership, we are now providing mini-training to existing committees as a reminder of why they started the labor-management collaboration. Frequently, committees get to the point where there are no 'issues' that need to be resolved and they begin to wonder about the value of continuing to meet. As an introduction, we are using a new video presentation titled "A Race Without a Finish Line" which is a reminder that nothing is so good that it can't be better. The thought behind this approach is that we need to get our creative thinking caps on and become innovators again.

The Council continues to provide regular Committee Effectiveness Training and Co-chair Training as in the past for new committees or new members of established committees. We are also planning Facilitator Training for later this year.

In order for the Council to provide support or assistance to our members and the labor-management committees, we urge the existing and new committees to do regular self-evaluation assessments. The survey should be designed to measure the value of the committee's achievements and the areas where the committee is having difficulty with its process. For example, if there is conflict within the committee, or lack of openness/trust, a review of conflict management training might be useful. Or if a committee can't seem to get into the steps of problem-solving, perhaps further training on other techniques, such as investigative or interest-based problem-solving would work better.

Sometimes the most important function of a labor-management committee is the sharing of information openly, honestly and completely. If management allows the process to deal with the communication of information and invites feedback, there will almost always be issues for discussion and decision/recommendation. A suggestion box will often be a useful tool if employees are encouraged to use them and if their suggestions are taken seriously, and acted on.

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Outstanding Committees and Individuals Receive 6th Annual Earl Willford Award at Annual Meeting

There were nine nominees for the 2002 Earl Willford Labor Management Cooperation and Partnership Award and all were worthy of recognition for exceptional performance in a labor/management partnership. Those nominated were:

Smurfit Stone-St Paul / PACE Local 7-0264
City of Edina / IUOE Local 49
City of Minnetonka / IUOE Local 49
Minneapolis Building & Construction Trades Council /Millwrights Local 548
Teacher Federal Credit Union / Office & Professional Employees International Union, Local 12
Wright County Public Works / IUOE Local 49
James Laurent, Labor Relations Manager, Metropolitan Airports Commission
Jim Holte, Secretary Treasurer, Teamsters Local 1145 / Denis Madden, Director Honeywell Commercial Avionics Products

The selection committee had great difficulty in selecting the winners, but decided that the award for the outstanding labor management committee in the public sector should go to WRIGHT COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS / IUOE LOCAL 49 for its amazing turnaround from a strike in 1996 to a model labor-management partnership.

The winning labor-management committee in the private sector was TEACHER FEDERAL CREDIT
UNION / OPEIU LOCAL 12 for its successful innovation in collective bargaining when the parties opted for Interest Based Bargaining (IBB) and the FMCS Technology Assisted Group Solutions (TAGS) system. This resulted in an agreement which was ratified by an over 90% favorable vote, while reducing the number of meetings required to reach an agreement from 29 to 8.

The MINNEAPOLIS BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL AND MILLWRIGHTS LOCAL 548 were recognized for their demonstration of exceptional cooperation for their work with Metropolitan Airports Commission.

The individuals receiving awards were JIM HOLTE, TEAMSTERS LOCAL 1145, AND DENIS MADDEN, HONEYWELL COMMERICAL AVIONICS PRODUCTS, for an outstanding job in reaching an agreement under very difficult circumstances at Honeywell. The agreement was ratified with a 90% approval.

The Council thanks the nominees and their nominators for participating in the Sixth Annual Earl Willford Labor Management Cooperation and Partnership Award.

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1st ANNUAL TCALMC GOLF TOURNAMENT A GREAT SUCCESS!!

Golfers participated in the 1st Annual Twin City Area Labor Management Council Golf Tournament held at Bunker Hills Golf Course in Coon Rapids on May 20th. The golfers represented labor, management, and members of the State Bureau of Mediation Services and Federal Mediation Services organizations.

A beautiful sunny, but cool afternoon made for a great golf outing! The Tournament provided an opportunity for members of TCALMC to get together in an informal setting and build relationships that will enhance their labor-management relations in the future.

Many organizations and individuals contributed prizes for the event, and many participants went away as lucky winners. Trophies were awarded to the best teams. The Best Labor-Management team was awarded traveling trophies to be returned next year and presented to the winning labor-management team at the TCALMC 2nd Annual Golf Tournament in 2003.

All agreed it was an enjoyable event and should be repeated next year! The following pictures show some of the participants receiving their prizes. We hope to see you on the golf course next year!

"Hilton Players" - 1st Place Team
Bob Moore, Teamsters 638, Trevor Lawrence, Teamsters 638, George Prine, Minneapolis Hilton, and Jim Vennewitz, Minneapolis Hilton

"Minneapolis Marauders" - 2nd Place Team
City of Minneapolis: Tim Giles, Diane Perry, Charles Benardy, Ann Eilbracht.

BEST LABOR-MANAGEMENT TEAM - "Hilton Players"

MOST HONEST GOLFERS -"R. C. Fore"

TCALMC would like to thank the following organizations for their generous donations which made the 1st Annual Golf Tournament possible:

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John Carmichael Board Member 1984-2002
Gordon Eells Board Member 1992-2002
Natalie Enger Board Member 1994-2002
John Fossum Board Member 1994-2002
Jon Harback Board Member 1989-2002
James Hoffner Board Member 1998-2002
Dick Johnson Board Member 1985-2002
Dore Mead Board Member 1996-2002
Rod Sanders Board Member 1990-2002
Ray Waldron Board Member 2000-2002

Each was presented with a clock as a small token of appreciation for their time and assistance. In addition, officers of the Executive Board of Directors were recognized:

Richard Brainerd Management Co-Chair 1994-2002
Jon Harback Secretary/Treasurer 1993-2002

Each was presented with a plaque as a small token of appreciation for their dedicated service.

From Communications Briefing
- Oct. 2001

New Officers Elected to TCALMC Executive Board of Directors

At the Executive Board Meeting on April 25, 2002, officer elections were held for Labor Co-Chair, Management Co-Chair and Secretary/Treasurer:

GAIL BLACKSTONE, Director of Human Resources, Ramsey County, was elected as Management Co-Chair, ROGER SIEGAL, Executive Director, AFSCME Council 14, was elected as Labor Co-Chair, and MICHAEL FAHEY, Director of Employee Relations, Reliant Energy Minnegasco, was elected as Secretary/Treasurer.

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New TCALMC Executive Board Members Elected for 2 Year Term

At it's Annual Meeting on April 2nd, Twin City Area Labor Management Council members elected the following Board members who represent labor and management organizations in the Twin City area:

MANAGEMENT REPRESENTATIVES

Gail Blackstone,Ramsey County
Richard Brainerd,Metropolitan Council
Christine Caspers,Star Tribune
Mike Fahey,Reliant Energy Minnegasco
Jim Laurent,Metropolitan Airports Commission
Dennis Mixdorf, United Defense
William Peters, Hennepin County Labor Relations
Gloria VanRuden,Medica
Angie Nalezny,City of Crystal
Michael Sweet,Honeywell, Inc.
Dale Kelly,Ford Motor Company
Matt Winkel,Wilson-McShane
Lynelle Wood,HealthPartners
John Marshall,Fairview Hospital

UNION REPRESENTATIVES

Roger Siegal, AFSCME Council 14
Dick Anfang,St. Paul Building Trades
Ric Chantry,IBEW, Local #292
Katie Coleman,CWA Local 7200
Jim Hansen,IUOE Local #49
Rod Haworth,UAW-Sub-Region #4
Shar Knutson,St. Paul Trades and Labor Assembly
Robert Moore,Teamsters Local #638
Bill McCarthy,Mpls. Central Labor Union
Gerry ParzinoPACE Local #7-0264
Sandra Peterson, Education Minnesota
Julie Schnell,SEIU Local #113
Steve Hunter,Minnesota AFL-CIO
Daniel Wells,Law Enforcement Labor Services

The following Community Representatives and Advisors were appointed at the Executive Board Meeting on April 25th:

COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES
R. T. Rybak, Mayor, City of Minneapolis,
Represented by: Timothy Giles
Avner Ben-Ner,U of M Industrial Relations Center
Randy Kelly, Mayor, City of St. Paul
Represented by: Kathy Megarry
Kathy Lantry, St. Paul City Council
Gary Schiff,Minneapolis City Council
Phil Schechter,University of St. Thomas

ADVISORS
Don Bauer, Retired,United Defense
Jeanne Frank, FMCS
Mitch Franklin,FMCS
John Kuderka,Bureau of Mediation Services
John Remington, U of M, Labor Education Service
Lance Teachworth,Bureau of Mediation Services
Natalie Enger, Independent Contractor

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It's Membership Investment Renewal Time!

2002 Membership Investment renewal forms have been sent recently to all members of the Twin City Area Labor Management Council. Members are encouraged to return their renewals as soon as possible. Indicate changes in address and/or contact person, as well as any additional persons to be added to TCALMC's mailing list. In addition, e-mail addresses have been added to the renewal form as another form of communication.
Annual Membership dues are $300.00 and membership is January-December, 2002.

THANK YOU! TO OUR RENEWING MEMBERS TO DATE:
Abbott Northwestern Hospital
AFSCME Council 6
AFSCME Council 14
City of Arden Hills
City of Brooklyn Center
City of Circle Pines
City of Crystal
City of Eden Prairie
City of Edina
City of Forest Lake
City of Hastings
City of Inver Grove Heights
City of Maple Grove
City of Minnetonka
City of New Hope
CWA Local 7200
Dakota County Employee Relations
Education Minnesota
Fairview Health Services
Ford Motor Company
HealthPartners
Hennepin Transfer
H.E.R.E. Local 17
I.B.E.W. Local 292
Inland Paperboard & Packaging
LSALMA
Law Enforcement Labor Services
Medica
Metropolitan Airports Commission
Metropolitan Council
Millwrights Local 548
Mpls Building & Construction Trades Council
Mpls Central Labor Union Council
Mpls Federation of Teachers Local 59
Minnesota AFL-CIO
M.A.P.E.
MN Department. of Corrections
MN Government Engineers Council
MN State Colleges & Universities
Nilfisk-Advance, Inc.
Office & Professional Employees International Union, Local 12
PACE Local 7-0264
Ramsey County
Rock-Tenn Company
St. Paul Area Trades & Labor Assembly
St. Paul Plumbers & Gasfitters Local 14
Star Tribune
SEIU Local 113
SEIU Local 26
Smurfit-Stone Container
Teacher Federal Credit Union
Teamsters Joint Council 32
Teamsters Local 638
Teamsters Local 1145
Thiele Technologies
United Defense
U of M Industrial Relations Center
U of M Libraries
University of St. Thomas
Weyerhauser-St. Paul Corrugated (formerly Willamette Industries)
Wright County Highway Department
Zenith Administrators

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