UCU NW Negotiating and Bargaining - Autumn Term

This course is for those who are currently negotiating with management or those in the branch who want to learn more about the negotiating process. Negotiating with discipline, cohesion and winning strategies is fundamental to obtaining the best deals for members. This course will allow you to explore tactics, practices and processes that can be applied in local negotiations. You will also look at ways of involving members and organising for increased leverage.

At the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Define negotiation and bargaining
• Understand which external factors affect collective bargaining
• Explain ways in which members' terms and conditions are decided
• Identify legal rights that may be used to support bargaining
• Identify the phases of negotiation
• Explain how to obtain, interpret and summarise materials and information to support bargaining
• Ensure negotiations are conducted with due regard for agreed protocols and guidelines
• Practise techniques for building rapport and communicating effectively when bargaining
• Identify the key components of a negotiating team
• Describe how an effective negotiating team can be developed
• Identify opportunities for communicating with members and encouraging their engagement and involvement in the negotiating process
• Describe how bargaining goals and objectives can be determined
• Plan a bargaining strategy for an issue affecting members in the workplace
• Plan a campaign around a bargaining issue
• State the key components of a bargaining strategy
• Practise techniques for responding to unfair tactics in negotiations
• Assess and identify different negotiating styles
• Explain how the success or failure of negotiations can be evaluated and built upon.

You are required to be a representative of the University and College Union (UCU).

You also need to ensure that you have time off to attend this course and that you have informed the appropriate union branch official or officer of your intention to take the course.

Throughout the course you will be continuously assessed by the course tutor through classroom and workplace-based activities.

Completing this course enables you to progress to further courses with UCU and TUC.

If you are a member of a TUC-affiliated union, then Trade Union Education courses are funded by the Adult Skills Fund.

Please be aware that funding restrictions in some areas may mean that we cannot accept your application: if this is the case, you will be notified which college to reapply to.

Do you have a burning question about this course, or would you like to know more about the qualification you'll receive and how it will help your career?
Our course enquiries team is on hand to help you understand any details and answer any questions – whether it's about applying for the course or finding out about finance. Just get in touch here!