Event Profile

Negotiating Your Collective Bargaining Agreement

Date(s):
April 23 — 24, 2025
Venue:
Northwest Public Power Association
Description:

Who Should Attend:

Anyone involved on either side of the table in any aspect of negotiating, administering, or supporting your CBA, including, but not limited to, human resources, labor/employee relations, all levels of management (line, senior, assistant general manager, general manager/CEO, and elected officials), and all levels of union representation.

Overview:

This comprehensive course is designed to guide you through any negotiation experience with an emphasis on labor management contract negotiations. More than just information on how and what to do, this course focuses equally on what not to do. The class includes interactive activities to build and improve your skill sets so you can continue to hone them well after the course concludes.

Objectives:

 During this course, you will learn more about:
  • Defining negotiation.
  • Negotiations philosophy/approach/styles.
  • Behavioral and physical preparedness.
  • Lawful obligations of negotiating the CBA.
  • Relationship/ethical obligations of negotiating the CBA.
  • Information/data-mining resources.
  • Costing models.
  • Evaluating potential influences.
  • Selecting and training your team(s)—it’s a team sport.
  • Ending the end run.
  • Maintaining the record.
  • Developing substantive, monetary, and housekeeping proposals.
  • Watching your proposal language to avoid future problems.
  • How to address unwritten past practices.
  • Vetting and prioritizing everyone's proposals.
  • Communications (before, during, and after).
  • Ground rules.
  • The three elements of every negotiation (time, information, and the 29 different types of power).

Instructor:

Bob Oberstein

Schedule:

Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. Pacific Time the first day, and the class will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Lunch and refreshments will be provided both days.

Location:

Northwest Public Power Association
9817 NE 54th St., Suite 200
Vancouver, WA 98662
(360) 254-0109

Suggested Hotel:

Heathman Lodge
7801 NE Greenwood Drive
Vancouver, WA 98662
(360) 254-3100
Ask for the NWPPA rate for 15% off advertised prices.

Fees:

Utility Member Early Bird (ends 3/23/2025): $690
Utility Member Standard: $765

Associate Member Early Bird (ends 3/23/2025): $1,035
Associate Member Standard: $1,110

Non-Member Early Bird (ends 3/23/2025): $1,380
Non-Member Standard: $1,455
 
Canadian utility members, please contact registration@nwppa.org for pricing and to register. 

Note: Organizations that register a group of employees will receive every fifth registration for free. For example, if you register five employees, you only pay for four; register 10 employees, you only pay for eight; and so on. There is nothing additional you need to do to receive this discount.

Cancellation Policy:

For webinarsvirtual classes, and section meetings: cancellations at least five days prior to the event will receive a full refund; within 1-4 days or no show, the charge will be 100% of the registration fee.

For in-person events: cancellations at least 30 days prior to the event will receive a full refund; within 15-29 days there will be a $100 fee; and within 1-14 days or no show, the charge will be 100% of the registration fee.

When possible, please send a substitute instead of canceling; NWPPA does not charge a fee for substitutions. To request a refund, please contact registration@nwppa.org or (360) 254-0109.

Continuing Hours:

This course qualifies for 12 continuing hours. Certificates are issued upon full completion of the course.

For More Information:

To find out more about this event, or to learn about other events, view the Training and Event Catalog.