News & Archive

(April 12, 2004)

Wednesday, April 21, 2004

This presentation will review lessons learned from the PON Seminar on Negotiating Labor Agreements. The seminar is attended by union and management representatives from industries and sectors such as airlines, aerospace, autos, education, entertainment, government, healthcare and others where the bargaining process is central to strategic success. The approach in the seminar involves linking core IBN (Interest-Based Negotiation) principles with the concept of strategic negotiations so that it can be applied to the very particular and complex institutional realities of labor relations. The two architects of the seminar, Joel Cutcher-Gershenfeld and Robert McKersie, will "pull back the curtain" to explain the thinking behind their approach, and share their insights on the future of collective bargaining at this pivotal historical moment.

Joel Cutcher-Gershenfeld holds a Ph.D. from MIT Sloan School of Management where his research centers on new work systems, large-scale systems change, labor-management relations, negotiations, conflict resolution, training, public policy, and economic development. Dr. Cutcher-Gershenfeld is Co-Chair of the Negotiations in the Workplace initiative at the Program on Negotiation.

Robert McKersie is Professor Emeritus of Management Behavioral Policy Science (BPS) at MIT Sloan School of Management and is an expert on industrial and labor relations with a focus on bargaining. Professor McKersie is researching strategies being pursued by different industries to bring about more effective organizational changes.

Following the DRF is a Peervision case presented by Theodore Johnson on the role of community mediators in designing and implementing a community conflict prevention strategy, building on CMG's "container" model with two additional approaches: Action Evaluation and Transitions. He will discuss the challenges and opportunities presented to CMG when asked to create a conflict-prevention strategy in Providence, RI.

Theodore Johnson is Senior Program Manager and Legal Advisor with Conflict Management Group (CMG). He oversees program operations for the organization and has conducted negotiation workshops, training, and diagnostic analysis for governments, community, and corporate leaders in North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

Please RSVP to Kim Wright, klwright@law.harvard.edu, or by fax to (617) 495-7818.

Time and Place
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
Pound 335 — click for map
DRF: 8:30-10:00am (Continental Breakfast at 8:00)
Peervision Case Conference: 10:15-11:30am