Labor Relations
Labor relations is the core of Management Guidance, Inc.’s expertise. We have extensive experience in collective bargaining, labor agreement administration issues, grievances, labor-management committees, and Taft-Hartley trusts.
The collective bargaining agreement is the foundation of the employer-union relationship. MGI represents individual employers and multi-employer groups in the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements on a regular basis. We use our experience along with proven processes to guide clients through collective bargaining and achieve bargaining goals.
Specific examples of MGI’s labor relations services include the following:
- Represent the employer(s) in collective bargaining agreement negotiations, including strike preparations and response. Provide guidance regarding contract language and strategies to achieve management’s bargaining goals. Lead and/or support employer negotiations teams as needed.
- Provide resources during the contract administration period regarding the labor agreement and related topics.
- Provide employer education regarding labor relations issues such as contract interpretation, employee benefit fund impacts, change strategies, etc.
- Represent the employer(s) in disputes and formal grievances that arise during the term of the labor agreement.
- Serve as committee members or advise and support employers that serve as committee members on various labor-management committees.
- Coordinate labor-management programs and initiatives pursued jointly by the employer(s) and the unions.
- Advise and support workforce development efforts that promote job opportunities to the public, educators, community based organizations, and other sources of candidates. Work with the union and apprenticeship programs to minimize or eliminate barriers to entry for qualified workers
- Monitor wage/benefit patterns and bargaining issues of local, regional, and national unions. Maintain market information such as market share and building activity forecasts. Network with other industry participants to monitor activities and trends of these bargaining parties.
- Provide counsel as to the proper and effective application of industry organizations and funding mechanisms.
- Advise employers on Davis-Bacon/prevailing wage matters, project labor agreements, and other workforce related issues.
In addition to more specific services, MGI offers clients timely access to expert advice. MGI clients know that they can pick up the phone or send an email and receive a prompt and accurate answer to their labor relations questions. We field questions ranging from technical collective bargaining agreement interpretations to practical advice about handling union grievances on a daily basis.