Fw: Open Space and unions

[Peggy Holman, Open Space Institute (US)]

Friends,

I got this question from Guy Caron of Montreal:

>Is there anyone who could give me examples where OS was used with
> unionized employees with the support of the union?

He is about to propose OS to a union at his company.  You can see the
example below that I sent.  If anyone else has suggestions for him, please
post (for the list's benefit) and I'll forward them on to him.

Thanks everyone for being part of the support system for space in the world,
Peggy


----- Original Message -----
From: "CARON, GUY" <guy.caron at bell.ca>
To: "Peggy Holman, Open Space Institute (US)" <usa at openspaceworld.org>
Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2002 1:50 PM
Subject: Re: Open Space and unions


> Thanks very much Peggy. That is a very goos example. For additionnal
> answers, I will pass through you for now, if you don't mind. The question
> is: Is there anyone who could give me examples where OS was used with
> unionized employees with the support of the union? Thanks Peggy. Guy
>
> > "Peggy Holman, Open Space Institute (US)" wrote:
> >
> > Guy,
> >
> > Ironically the U S WEST video was done in a unionized environment.  I
was
> > part of that project.  While not used directly for contract
negotiations,
> > the major union (CWA) was in the midst of negotiating a new 3 year
> > contract when that event took place.  The divisive issues were very
> > present during the OS, since labor and management people were
> > participating.  One thing that happened as a direct result of the OS was
> > that a follow up meeting, that traditionally would have been management
> > only was opened to whomever wanted to participate.  At that meeting, I
> > heard a union person say that contracting (the practice of hiring
> > non-union temporary workers and a major issue in the contract
> > negotiations)  wasn't really that critical an issue.  Since there was so
> > much agreement on priorities (a surprise to everyone at the OS), by
> > focusing effort on those priorities, the need for contracting would go
> > away.  This statement would have been heresy before the OS!  What I
> > observed was that OS participants gained a much broader perspective of
> > the issues.  People were no longer operating solely from their own point
> > of view but had the benefit of a more system-wide understanding.  That
> > impressived me.
> >
> > I know there have been many OS's in union situations.  I'd like to pass
> > your question to the Open Space listserv.  If you'd be willing to send
me
> > an e-mail with what you'd like to ask, I can forward it.  Alternatively,
> > you can subscribe to the list and send it yourself.  The instructions
are
> > below my signature.  Just let me know what you'd like to do.
> >
> > Best of success to you,
> > Peggy
> >
> > ________________________________
> > Peggy Holman
> > Open Space Institute (US)
> > 15347 SE 49th Place
> > Bellevue, WA  98006
> > 425.378.8331 (fax)
> > 425.746.6274
> > www.openspaceworld.org
> >
> > To subscribe to the open space listserv,
> > visit http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
>
> --
> *******************************************************************
>
> Guy Caron - BCECS (Services corporatifs BCE)
>    601 Lagauchetière, O, Étage: RC
>       Montréal, Québec, H3B 2M8
>             514-870-0155 (Tel.&Fax)
>        Mailto:guy.caron at bell.ca
>
>

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