RELATIONS

As in
Labor Relations

If you ask me what I do.
What field I work in.
I’d say, officially of course,

Labor Relations

What?

I negotiate contracts, in my professional voice I’d say.
Administer those contracts, too.

What?
I represent the employer, negotiating labor contracts and then insure those agreements are carried out for our employees.

The typical response I get is “oh, you represent the union?”
No, I represent the employer.
“So you work against the unions?”

Well, I prefer to say I work with the union for the benefit of both the employer and our employees.
In short I see what I do as relations.

Once I was faced with re-building the relationship between my company and the people representing our employees. For whatever the reason, our relationship had deteriorated to nothing.
The partnership was broke.
The name calling had reached epic levels.
And then no contacts, no calls.

Only nasty letters hinting at or, more precisely, preparing cases for future litigation.
Everything was designed to prepare for a trial.

How to get back to civility?
How to gain back a level of trust?
Is it ever too late?

It is a process.
A long one.
You start simply.
Making contact without expectations.
Sending an email.
Leave voice messages.
Start small.
Listen
And wait.

JT