May 18 , 2006: 12:30 p.m. EDT

Playback: Tuesday, May 23, 3:30 - 5pm

Noella Martin

Employer Counsel
Wickwire Holm

Tim Gleason

Union Counsel
Sack Goldblatt Mitchell

Erin Kuzz

Employer Counsel
Sherrard Kuzz LLP

Ken Curry

Staff Counsel
British Columbia Government and Service Employees' Union

Some of the questions to be addressed:

• Where is the line drawn between hard bargaining and surface bargaining? When is a proposal out of bounds as too late, or brand new, and when is it considered legitimate, either as a proposal or counter-proposal?
• When is a change in bargaining position justified? When does it constitute “receding horizon” bargaining?
• What are the rules regarding direct bargaining with employees?  What can the parties say to employees about its own and the other side’s offer?
• What types of unilateral initiatives are permissible during a period of bargaining, and what employer-initiated offers (e.g., early retirement, severance packages, work-sharing, etc.) will be considered to interfere with the union’s representation rights? When must a new position be negotiated with the union?
• What choice do the parties have regarding the format of bargaining? When can a party be compelled to bargain centrally? Do bargaining proposals have to be exchanged simultaneously? When must a party present its monetary proposals? Is a party entitled to tape-record bargaining sessions?
• Has there been a shift in the law regarding which issues are bargainable and which are not? Which issues can be taken to impasse (e.g. “no harm” clauses, amnesty clauses, etc.), and which can’t?
  

Here's what participants said about Lancaster's previous audio conferences:

"Good value for money. We had a number of us on the call for a very low price and we did not have to travel."
— Leslie Kerr, Regional Manager, Human Resources, Ryder Logistics and Transportation

"Excellent. Provided good, useful information. The technology was great!!!"
— Colleen Ionson, Labour Relations Officer, Ontario Nurses' Association

$195, plus GST (Registrations must be paid in advance of the audio conference). Registration costs are per listening site/telephone, so you can have any number of people listening at your location for one low price. Click here for registration information.