Reflection on Day 2

I thought today's class was another productive one. The format of Dr. Closen's is obviously geared toward giving us practical information and practice as opposed to the busy work we get in some classes, and I appreciate that. Having Jay in class was invaluable. His opening was very interesting: "Bargaining is an opportunity to improve labor relations." That is pretty profound and we should all remember that. Perhaps, though, it is easier said than done. He gave us a lot of "nuts and bolts" that were great, but more importantly, just as Colosi in the text and Dr. Closen also say, Jay emphasized developing trust and relationships. That should be a natural fit for all of us since that is the same beginning toward being an effective teacher in the classroom. Along that line, his statement that we only get one chance to create a reputation, is so true. I also liked his reasoning that you shouldn't just give the union your positions, but also rationalize them. Finally, in regards to the importance of developing relationships and trust, that should be carried over to the table and we should never lose our cool with the union. As he said, "Don't talk 'at' each other, talk 'with' each other."

Some financial elements that were discussed stuck out as extra important. Jay mentioned that in regards to health insurance, it is imperative that the employees have a stake in the cost and you need to keep a mechanism in your arsenal to control costs. With that and all financial matters, what Dr. Closen said ("Always underestimate revenues and overestimate expenditures.") is a good common sense rule to live by.