Negotiation Skills for Wage Negotiators Course

This course is designed for Wage Negotiators or wage negotiation teams. The negotiation skills taught will enable the wage negotiation teams with the appropriate skills to conclude meaningful wage negotiation agreements.The course will ensure wage negotiators become familiar with the principles, processes, and techniques of negotiation management in the context of wage negotiations in SA.

Upon completion of this course, the participants should be able to:

• Understand the labour legislation in SA as it pertains to collective Bargaining
• Understand the Collective bargaining processes
• Understand the dispute resolution processes in labour legislation
• Understand the mechanisms in the Act for strikes and lock outs.
• Explain the need for negotiation skills
• Develop interpersonal skills and communication techniques around the negotiation process
• Understand the negotiation process
• Factors influencing outcomes of a negotiation
• Prepare for negotiations
• Engage in negotiations
• Conclude negotiations
• Evaluate negotiations
• Different personality types around the negotiation table
• Define negotiation and value thereof
• Rules around effective negotiation
• Breaking deadlocks
• Research prior to conducting negotiations
• How to create win-win solutions

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Wage Negotiation Legislation Context

• Understand the labour legislation in SA as it pertains to collective Bargaining.
• Understand the Collective bargaining processes
• The rights of Shop stewards in the bargaining process
• Sectorial determinations and their impact on your process
• Bargaining Council agreements and their impact on your process
• The right to disclosure of information when requested
• Understand the dispute resolution processes in the Labour Relations Act
• Understanding Strike mechanisms and processes
• Understanding Lock out mechanisms and processes
• The union federation's ideology and tactics
• Analysis and interpretation of the company financial statements
• Understanding CPI and how it is produced

Negotiations

• The importance of negotiations and agreements
• Building the relationship
• The negotiations cycle

Understanding the Negotiations process map

• Informing people about the negotiations process
• Useful questions for setting up a negotiations process
• Persuading through discussion
• Getting mandates from your stakeholders
• Reporting back to your stakeholders

Building trust

• Qualities of good negotiators
• Facilitating the negotiation process
• Communicating in a negotiations environment
• The do's and don't's of negotiations
• Key soft skills in the negotiations process

Negotiations strategy

• Understanding different negotiation styles
• Negotiation mistakes to avoid
• Negotiation strategies
• Principled negotiation strategy
• Positional negotiation strategy
• Know your BATNA
• A comparison of negotiation tactics
• Analysis of the balance of forces before and during the negotiation process
• Analysis of the external environment during the negotiation process

A negotiated agreement

• Closing tactics
• Concluding a negotiated settlement
• Strong and weak wage agreements
• Communicating the agreement to the parties

MODULE 1: Wage Negotiation Legislation Context

• Understand the labour legislation in SA as it pertains to collective Bargaining.
• Understand the Collective bargaining processes
• The rights of Shop stewards in the bargaining process
• Sectorial determinations and their impact on your process
• Bargaining Council agreements and their impact on your process
• The right to disclosure of information when requested
• Understand the dispute resolution processes in the Labour Relations Act
• Understanding Strike mechanisms and processes
• Understanding Lock out mechanisms and processes
• The union federation's ideology and tactics
• Analysis and interpretation of the company financial statements
• Understanding CPI and how it is produced

MODULE 2: Prepare for Negotiations

• Preparing the Negotiations Process 
• Types of Negotiation
• Administrative Arrangements 
• The Purpose of Negotiation 
• Negotiation Strategies and Processes 
• Stages of Negotiation 
• Negotiation Strategies 
• Selecting a General Negotiation Approach 
• Negotiating Styles: A Comparison 
• Negotiation Ranges
• The Four Pillars of a Negotiation 
• Identify and Inform Stakeholders 
• Obtain Mandates 
• Collate and Share Information 
• Anticipate the Negotiation Process and Identify, Select and Motivate Tactics
• Negotiation Tactics

MODULE 3: Engage in Negotiations 

• Conflict Resolution & Negotiation Steps
• Behaviour and Conduct during Negotiations 
• Communication Process 
• Conduct Negotiations 
• Negotiation Mistakes to Avoid 
• Use Effective Communication and Interpersonal Skills 
• Guideline: Steps for Constructive Feedback 
• Listening 
• Building Trust 
• Characteristics of Good Negotiators

MODULE 4: Finalise Negotiations and Communicate Agreements 

• Methods to Deal with a Deadlock
• Identify and Explore Options 
• Finalise Negotiations 
• Record Final Agreements 
• Disseminate and Make Final Agreements Accessible 
• Processes and Skills: A Summary 
• Characteristics of a Durable Agreement 
• Strong vs Weak Agreements

MODULE 5: Evaluate Negotiation Processes 

• Opportunities and Mechanisms for Improvement