Lifelong Learning through Labor/Management Cooperation: Building the Workforce of the Future

Abstract

Throughout the 1970's and 80's, rapidly advancing technologies, mergers and acquisitions, industry deregulation, emergence of new capital markets, and the shift to an increasingly competitive, global marketplace sparked new training needs for workers (Rich, 2010). In aerospace, auto, health care, steel, telecommunications and transportation industries, unions used the collective bargaining process to negotiate worker training and education programs consistent with those changing needs. In this dynamic environment, companies and unions jointly sponsored education and training programs to prepare workers for a lifetime of learning through three types of strategies: 1. Training and education programs to help downsized and displaced workers transition to other jobs, within the existing company or elsewhere, depending on the needs of the individual and the opportunities in the marketplace; 2. Ongoing skill/knowledge development opportunities for personal growth and career enhancement; and 3. Meeting worker and workplace needs through a dual training focus. Today, joint programs flourish in a range of workplaces, not only in the aforementioned industries, but also in education, state, and local government. They have been sustained and expanded due to the observable and measurable benefits they provide, and have fostered a combination of shared vision and trust that have led to innovative labor/management tactical and strategic initiatives. With the current economy affected by structural shifts and high unemployment, the concepts underlying joint programs provide a framework that yields positive results for individuals, the companies that employ them, the unions that serve them, and the communities in which they live and work (National Commission on Adult Literacy, 2008). The Joint Program Model The overall structure of Joint Labor-Management Educational Programs can best be described through a simple input-output model. * Inputs come from what is happening in the Environment, such as technological breakthroughs, increased competition, and new regulations. * Outputs are results that benefit companies, unions, workers and their communities. Companies might increase productivity; unions could increase enrollment. Individuals can pass qualifying tests or acquire specific work-related skills that ensure their employability and company profitability. Communities benefit when people live and work in a culture conducive to lifelong learning. * Process consists of six steps that are not linear but circular; one leads to another in an ongoing effort that benefits all stakeholders. Input is transformed into Results through a process that consists of: 1. Identifying stakeholder needs and potential positive outcomes regarding workforce development; 2. Building stakeholder support for investment in lifelong learning; 3. Establishing joint program structure, systems and financing through collective bargaining agreement; 4. Determining the personal development and learning needs of workers and the workforce development needs of company and union; 5. Developing and implementing a continuum of training, support services and delivery mechanisms built on identified needs; and 6. Evaluating results on an ongoing basis and making adjustments, as needed, to ensure continuous improvement. Essential Components of the Model The first step of the process is to stake out common ground by identifying needs and recognizing the value of lifelong learning for workers, employers, and unions. Next, the collective bargaining process establishes a joint structure for the operation and funding of worker education and training, typically based on a percentage of the union-represented payroll; a portion of the hourly wage; or a flat amount; with possible supplemental funding from federal, state and foundation grants. …