FMCS Reaches Out to Labor and Management With Health Care Bargaining Initiative
WASHINGTON, Oct. 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- FMCS Director George Cohen today announced a special Agency outreach to labor and management representatives to encourage cooperation and collaboration in bargaining on health care issues, starting with a one-day seminar for unions and employers in Chicago on November 3.
The FMCS outreach will highlight the success of cooperative labor-management efforts in health care benefits bargaining and is intended to educate unions and employers regarding best practices in addressing health care issues.
The program for unions and employers will be offered again in New York City on December 1 and in San Francisco on December 15. The FMCS seminar in each city will feature a group of expert presenters.
"Health care related issues have emerged as a major cause of disputes in almost every round of collective bargaining. It is a subject chock full of economic and emotional conflict and, in addition, involves a multitude of technical nuances. So, as part of my pro-active outreach approach to improving labor-management relations, the FMCS has carefully designed a program to provide attendees with an information-packed day on this vital topic," the FMCS Director said.
"Our program will consist of two plenary sessions. The morning will address all aspects of the critical health care issues confronting labor and management, with special emphasis on the key provisions of the Affordable Care Act. Experts and practitioners will focus on the overriding desirability of establishing joint Health Care Committees far in advance of the trauma of contract expiration. After lunch, presenters from ground-breaking labor-management teams will share the nuts and bolts of implementing comprehensive health care reform in the workplace, the successes they have achieved, specific examples of cutting-edge solutions that others might learn from and adapt to their workplaces and solutions they may develop through their own ingenuity," he said.
The November 3 seminar in Chicago will be held at the Doubletree Hotel Chicago Magnificent Mile (300 E. Ohio), commencing at 9 a.m. (Central Time). The December 1 seminar in New York City will take place at the Edison Ballroom, 240 W. 27th St. In San Francisco, the December 15 seminar is set for the Parc 55 Wyndham hotel on Union Square.
The seminar in each city will include continental breakfast and a lunch, according to the FMCS. The Agency is charging a $75 registration fee to defray its costs. Advance, online registration is required. Labor relations practitioners can register for Chicago, New York or San Francisco at http://www.fmcs.gov/secure/conf/ConfForm.asp?c=1 on the FMCS website.
The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, created in 1947, is an independent U.S. government agency whose mission is to preserve and promote labor-management peace and cooperation. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 10 district offices and more than 67 field offices, the agency provides mediation and conflict resolution services to industry, government agencies and communities.
SOURCE Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service
Share this article