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Erroneous Assumptions

Erroneous Assumptions

Training Administrator
Navy
Mon Nov 2, 2009 6:50 AM

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Dennis, the author, sound like a holdover from the Bush Administration.

Effective Service to American People

LR 33 yrs
Retired
Mon Nov 2, 2009 10:58 AM

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I find this repartee within DOJ very interesting. Here's the deal: to both attny and union officials in DOJ. The agency mission is law enforcement and that should not be hindered in any way shape or form. Additionally, the agency determines the budget, not a union. Once a union like the poster above digs its heels in , you get poor agreements that are fraught with dispute--both parties are more committed to a feel good agreement. In an agency of attorneys, perhaps attny mgmt welcome the fight, but in most agencies (I worked in LR for 5 with different unions and different mgmt cultures. I was able to apply more problem solving techniques in most cases..but it involved training of both mgmt and union. I know that if I worked with the Union Officer in DOJ who posted above and its mgmt , you would have a much different relationship. So ask yourselves, how effective are your outcomes, are your disputes too costly and time consuming, do the hurt the operations and the taxpayers?

Re: Effective Service to American People

Union VP
DOJ
Mon Nov 2, 2009 11:58 AM
Please, you can address me directly.

I believe our relationship is collegial, yet respectful of our differing concerns. You are correct, mgmnt determines the budget. Often, that consideration precipitates conflict, especially during contract and supplement negotiations.

I would be very interested in how you facilitate even-handed solutions in circumstances where both sides want very different outcomes. Aside from negotiations predicated on a fundamental respect for one another, and acknowledgment that "it's business, not personal" - I don't see how you promote mutually-interested outcomes when in reality, that's an oxymoron. That's not to say that pragmatic concessions aren't reached by both parties, but the process is never sunshine and lollipops in my experience. Perhaps you work miracles.

Re: Effective Service to American People

Career LR
Anywhere and Everywhere
Mon Nov 2, 2009 3:00 PM
"I also remind them that I can wait "until hell freezes over" on official time in order to extract acceptable conditions so they need not waste time with "non-starters."

You have told us all where your interests lie. [Certaninly not with the tax payers]

Have you even considered that your statements are the oxymoron here, since you also don't know the difference between "collegial" and "conflict" which you only separate with 17 words.

BTW, I have been in collaborative LR for 25 years and when things went otherwise in 2000 I became a Program Analyst because conflict is "lose-lose."
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