During its Annual Meeting webinar on June 17, Massachusetts Municipal Human Resources discussed “costing out contracts” in preparation for negotiations with unions.

Following the association’s business meeting, Arlington Deputy Town Manager Sandy Pooler began the panel discussion by covering three key elements of contract negotiations: identifying comparable communities, conducting a salary study, and the negotiation process.

Pooler also discussed the pros and cons of establishing a salary reserve account to set aside resources to fund collective bargaining agreements and/or non-union salary adjustments.

Attorney Melissa Murray, a partner at Norris, Murray and Peloquin, discussed strategies and preparation before getting to the contract negotiation table, important tips and ground rules to adhere to once negotiations begin, the importance of record keeping, and when to involve labor counsel in negotiations.

Chatham Town Manager Jill Goldsmith closed out the panel with a discussion about how to arrive prepared for a hearing with the Joint Labor-Management Committee. Goldsmith discussed the point at which the JLMC becomes involved in negotiations, and gave an overview of the legal background, mission, and makeup of the JLMC. She also discussed the JLMC process and what should be done to prepare for the JLMC.

• Costing the Contract: Know Your Negotiation Numbers – Arlington Deputy Town Manager Sandy Pooler (1M PDF)
• Costing Out Contracts: The Key to Successful Negotiations – Attorney Melissa Murray (890K PDF)
• Preparing for Collective Bargaining Negotiations – Chatham Town Manager Jill Goldsmith (370K PDF)
• Kudos to HR Professionals: You Survived and Thrived During COVID – mental health consultant Jon Mattleman (2M PDF)