Massachusetts Columnist Touts Interest-Based Bargaining For Teachers Unions

In a column in the Boston Globe (12/8, Harmon), Lawrence Harmon writes about the often rancorous nature of negotiations between districts and teachers unions, writing, "It turns out there is a better method - something labor experts call interest-based bargaining. Basically, it's the opposite of traditional collective bargaining. Instead of issuing tough demands and counter demands, the sides begin with a clear statement of their interests and objectives. Rather than pummel each other with data, the parties collect information jointly and analyze where each dollar is being spent contractually." Harmon describes a recent conference sponsored by the Massachusetts Educational Partnership at which "teachers' union officials and management representatives from Fitchburg and Franklin told scores of their counterparts from other communities how they overcame mistrust to craft mutually agreeable contracts."