[OSList] Open Space in Collective Bargaining

Tue Nov 1 15:30:04 PDT 2011

Bui,

I don't know if he's on this list, but I'm going to forward your question to Bill Mahoney.  He is a long-time union guy who knows and uses Open Space in many situations.  He's the one who brought about the first Open Space I experienced. It was at U S WEST Communications in 1994.  It wasn't specifically a labor-management negotiation; however, like the meeting in Venezuela that Harrison described, it sure changed relationships in a good way.

Peggy

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Peggy Holman
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On Oct 27, 2011, at 5:38 PM, Bui Petersen wrote:

> I totally agree with everything you said, Harrison. And thanks for the beautiful story.
> 
> The thing is that in situations where the parties have officially implemented "interest-based bargaining", they commonly have elaborate scheme of training of the participant followed by a facilitated negotiation process. What I'm thinking, you'd likely agree with this, that it may be much more effective let people do this through a self-organizing process like OST.
> 
> One reason for looking for examples where this has been done is that I'm thinking of writing a paper about it. The other reason is that (as we all know) people are often afraid of doing something new and examples of this having been done successfully elsewhere is one thing that can help calm those fears. It is often only in situations where the conflict is really bad and destructive that people are willing to open up to new ways of doing things because what they have is obviously so bad that just about anything new is likely to be better. I think your story is a good illustration of that.
> 
> As we all know, one the main reasons for people resisting doing things like OST is that they are afraid of losing control. But as unions often suspect that new approaches to bargaining are management ploys to undermine union power,  chances are that many might think the same about OST. The more examples that show that this is not the case the better.
> 
> Thanks for your input.
> 
> Bui
> 
> On 27/10/2011 4:42 PM, Harrison Owen wrote:
>> I am sure I am missing some of the nuances -- but at some level it seems to
>> me that Open Space is precisely "interest based bargaining." That after all
>> is what happens in the market place at the start, and on an ongoing basis as
>> people "vote with their feet" -- which is effectively multi-party bargaining
>> relative to the available time/space/interest of the folks (at the very
>> least).
>> 
>> I have a rather different take on the Union hesitance which may be more
>> about perceived loss of power than concern for the effectiveness of any
>> resulting agreement. To be sure there are situations where only a call to
>> arms will do (strike, hardnosed bargaining, etc) -- but typically I find
>> these are endgame scenarios of a zero sum game. Management AGAINST Union and
>> vice versa. Somebody wins and somebody looses. But this doesn't have to be,
>> and more often than not is a lose/lose situation. Nobody really wins because
>> at the end of the day, and even though wages increase or new benefits
>> achieved -- the atmosphere is poisoned (talk about a "happy, productive work
>> place?") and a set of work rules put in place that are so complex and
>> restrictive that, were they truly to be followed, no useful work could get
>> done. Sounds insane I know, but I have experienced dozens of places in such
>> dire straits.
>> 
>> Sanity breaks out when it is recognized by all that such bargaining (like
>> War) is a tool of last resort. Sometimes you have to do it, but the cost is
>> extreme, especially when there are more effective alternatives. And Open
>> Space is such an alternative.
>> 
>> I have totally lost track of the number of situations where, in highly
>> charged/conflicted situations, the simple act of opening space was more than
>> sufficient to focus all the energy of conflict in more productive
>> directions. I remember, for example, a sugar plant in Venezuela where the
>> hostility was such that Plant Manager and the Union Chief were found at
>> machete points. Not nice. We opened space for everybody some 500 folks. And
>> believe me they put it all on the table. Loudly! And if somebody was shy
>> about raising an issue because "management" would "get them" -- there always
>> seemed to be 3 or 4 other folks who felt no such constraints. For something
>> like 16 hours straight they went at it. And then a strange thing happened.
>> The closing circle happened when it was ready -- and began in a rich
>> silence. Needless to say we didn't pass a talking stick around all 500 --
>> but we really didn't have to. The Plant Manager stood up and walked over to
>> the Union chief and gave him a long hug. Everybody Cheered. People were
>> hungry and thirsty, and being South America the party started. I left a
>> little early, but somewhere around 2 in the morning I am told the last Salsa
>> played.
>> 
>> Did they solve all the issues? Of course not. But they had done something
>> much more important. The shattered bonds of community had started to
>> re-weave. They still had to write a contract, of course -- but that was just
>> details. Was it just one lucky break? Maybe, but I have seen it happen again
>> and again. Of course, a little Salsa helps!
>> 
>> Harrison
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Harrison Owen
>> 7808 River Falls Dr.
>> Potomac, MD 20854
>> USA
>> 
>> 189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)
>> Camden, Maine 20854
>> 
>> Phone 301-365-2093
>> (summer)  207-763-3261
>> 
>> www.openspaceworld.com
>> www.ho-image.com (Personal Website)
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>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org
>> [mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Bui Petersen
>> Sent: Thursday, October 27, 2011 11:00 AM
>> To: oslist at lists.openspacetech.org
>> Subject: [OSList] Open Space in Collective Bargaining
>> 
>> Hi enormously generous and thoughtful colleagues,
>> 
>> I am doing some research on what is popularly called "interest-based"
>> bargaining (IBB). For those unfamiliar with the term, IBB is a process
>> that is intended to be more collaborative than traditional bargaining.
>> One common aspect of IBB, is the creation of various committees or teams
>> consisting of both union and management that work out (creative if
>> possible) solutions to the various issues being the negotiated.
>> 
>> I'm trying to find out if anyone on this list knows of negotiations that
>> have involved OST or other self-organizing principles. One of the
>> reasons I'm asking is that unions are often sceptical of IBB because
>> they think that dividing individual members into various committees
>> partially undermines their collective voice, which in essence is the
>> core of union power. Thus before considering such an approach, they will
>> likely want some assurance that it can work in their interest.
>> 
>> Hope there is someone with experience and insight. :)
>> 
>> Thanks,
>> 
>> Bui Petersen
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