HR Badge #02: Bargaining: Communication Strategies-HR Badge #2

HR Badge #2 - PowerPoint

Pdf Summary

The document outlines ethical and effective communication strategies for school districts during collective bargaining, with a focus on what employers can and cannot say to union members and how to communicate persuasively without committing unfair labor practices.<br /><br />It identifies multiple stakeholders in bargaining communications (board members, taxpayers, parents, administrators, staff, and union members) and emphasizes two core goals: communicating ethically (maintaining self-respect) and communicating effectively (being prepared and direct rather than timid).<br /><br />Key guidance distinguishes permissible from impermissible employer communications. Districts may share truthful, non-misleading updates about negotiation status, provide the same information already shared with the union (including directing employees to proposals on a website), and should copy the union on communications. Districts must avoid coercive or threatening messages, materially misleading statements, direct dealing that bypasses the union, offering new benefits outside bargaining, disparaging the union, or sharing new information with employees that the union has not received.<br /><br />Four case studies illustrate how Washington PERC applies these standards. Bellevue SD was allowed to email employees and refer them to bargaining proposals online because it was neutral and not misleading. Vancouver SD communications were upheld where statements about budget impacts and a 1% wage reduction were truthful and not intended as threats, and where proposals referenced had already been made in bargaining. A follow-up Vancouver SD memo was still permissible even though it omitted conditional details, because the legal standard requires truthfulness and non-deceptive intent—not a fully comprehensive account. By contrast, Spokane Police Guild resulted in a ruling against management when the chief offered new disciplinary authority directly to employees without involving the union, constituting unlawful direct dealing.<br /><br />The second half provides practical communication skill tips across verbal, non-verbal, visual, and written channels, plus persuasion techniques (Cialdini’s reciprocity, consistency, social proof, liking, authority, scarcity) and additional framing tools (primacy/recency/repetition, rule of three, rhetorical questions, “you” language). It recommends district messaging built around three pillars—safety, stability, and respect—using channels like web pages, email/newsletters, social media, press releases, and videos. The takeaway: start communicating early, set structures (webpage, board updates, templates), and prioritize ethical, effective messaging.

Keywords

collective bargaining communications

school district labor relations

unfair labor practices

employer speech rules

union member communications

Washington PERC case studies

direct dealing prohibition

truthful non-misleading updates

persuasive messaging techniques

bargaining communication strategy