How boards and management can work together in labour disputes

Konata Lake sat down with ICD’s Director Journal magazine to share insight on how boards and management can work together when labour disputes arise.

He said that despite the fact these negotiations can be heated, it’s critical to remember that unionized employees are part of the same team.

“You’re one team, advancing the mission of your organization, trying to serve clients or customers… you’re all kind of rowing in the same direction,” Konata said.

“That may sound a bit trite, but it’s really important to keep that at the front of your mind in the midst of the negotiation [that] it’s not just ‘us versus them’.”

Despite the fact boards are not at the negotiating table, the tone of leadership and respect it embodies certainly filters throughout the organization.

Konata said boards should think long term in its negotiations and ground them in the strategic plan of the organization. This helps companies “draw a line in the sand” and justify why it’s taking certain positions in the negotiations.

“When management sits at the bargaining table, [they can say]: ‘remember the strategic plan? This is what we’re trying to do.’ It adds credibility to whatever position the organization has taken,” Konata said.

You can read all of Konata’s comments on the topic in the November/December 2023 edition of the Director Journal.

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