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Labor Relations Support
Grievances and Contract Disputes
With some of our clients, CDA is chiefly responsible for responding (or advising those who are chiefly responsible) to grievances filed against the employer. CDA involvement, therefore, has been extensive and includes advising supervisors on how to handle difficult situations and people, conducting internal investigations, acting as an in-house arbitrator and helping to prepare cases for arbitration that could not be resolved within the preceding steps in the grievance procedure. CDA finds that very few grievances that become part of our caseload go to arbitration. Most of the time our team can negotiate the grievances to resolution with the Unions and the employees. Sample issues are jurisdiction over work, skimming, medical insurance, layoffs, hours of work, overtime, and promotion of junior over senior employees based on abilities and qualifications.
CDA uses a blend of collaborative and traditional approaches to negotiations. CDA is daily engaged in developing and following guiding principles established by employers, making labor negotiations plans and pursuing a determined course of action.
PERC
CDA represents public employers in a variety of Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) proceedings: mediation, questions concerning representation, unit clarifications, election procedures, unfair labor practice proceedings.
Interest Arbitration
CDA has been involved in approximately 80 interest arbitrations, involving public safety personnel (i.e., law enforcement officers, firefighters and corrections officers), under Washington State Collective Bargaining Act Ch. 41.56 RCW.
FLSA
CDA is well versed in the application of Federal Labor Standards Act (FLSA) laws, rules and procedures outside and within the context of labor contract negotiations. However, CDA team members are not employment lawyers and defer to special counsel on FLSA issues and updates from time to time.
Style and Strategy
We work hard to develop trust and long-term relationships with our clients and in getting along with unions representing employee groups. We are fair and firm. We cannot always make everyone happy, particularly unions that have interests that conflict with management rights. However, most of our client relationships are ongoing and we have positive relationships with union representatives. In developing issues for the bargaining process, we rely heavily on internal departmental staff, the direction of policy makers and our own experience. This must also be a collaborative exchange if the outcomes of negotiations are going to reflect the needs of the organization. Focusing on issues, providing facts and justifications as to why a particular proposal is needed and working from a basis of trust and concern tends to encourage win-win resolutions.
Legal Aspects
While working with labor and employment attorneys, we are constantly exposed to a wide variety of legal issues, precedents and solutions in the context of negotiations and human resource management. We often work away from the bargaining table with the employer’s legal counsel of choice.
Recent Clients and Projects
Public Sector HR/Labor Projects
- Fire Districts and RFAs
- Public Transit PTBAs
- Port Districts – Police Officers and Firefighters
- Public Libraries – Librarians and Facilities
- 9-1-1 Communication Centers – Telecommunicators
Private Sector HR/Labor Projects
- Oil and Gas – Maintenance and Facilities
- Public Radio – Broadcasters and Copywriters
- Third Party Administration (TPAs) – Pension and Claims
- Entertainment – Musicians and Facilities
Contact Cabot Dow Associates
Steward public resources well with the help of our data-driven compensation studies and HR consulting services.
We want to help you make data-driven compensation and Human Resources decisions that will help you balance the needs of your municipal government or publicly funded entity.
Our objective compensation studies, labor negotiation, and HR consulting make it possible!
The first step is to reach out to us for a free intro session.
We will unearth opportunities for how we can work together, discuss what a custom compensation strategy could look like for your organization, and share about how we achieved success for organizations similar to yours..
FAQ
Our services are geared to leverage changes that will create a more efficient agency for years to come. With approximately 70-80% of a general fund devoted to personnel and benefits, anytime we can have a positive impact within these areas, it tends to vastly eclipse the cost it takes to hire CDA.
Additionally, we’re flexible to work within your budget, spending threshold, and authority. We routinely structure engagements to allow agencies to avoid a formal RFP process.
At CDA, we take on projects that we know we can handle, and we’ll work with you to establish a realistic timeline. We have a manageable workload, with around 12-15 projects per year, and a team with diverse expertise, including union and non-union employees.
On average, a compensation study plus strategy and consulting on implementation will take 3-4 months. If it’s a labor negotiation project, it may take around 5 months.
We get this question all the time, and the answer depends on your objectives. A lawyer will be more focused on legal analysis and compliance, while we are more focused on giving you the tools your HR team needs to succeed in the long term.
CDA offers a more collaborative relationship where we are work alongside your HR team, oftentimes helping you analyze and structure your positions, pay structure, and more. In addition, we often form long-term relationships where we work with agencies for many years rather than simply taking on a single project.
While lawyers are skilled in legal analysis, we focus on the collaborative, HR professional side of labor negotiation and compensation studies. Our expertise in pay plan design and structure, combined with our long-term relationships with agencies, sets us apart. We’re also more cost-effective and provide continuity, having worked with many agencies for 20 years.
Two primary options are available. We can operate as your spokesperson, where we are a member of the bargaining team. We can also provide an advisory role away from the table. With virtual negotiating proceedings becoming more and more common, we can often sit on on your meetings even when you hire us in an advisory role.