National Joint Labor-Management Conference

By Dave Huff

On June 3, 2004, I had the honor of being included on a panel of representatives from IBEW Local 18 and the Department of Water & Power, as we made a presentation to the 12th National Joint Labor-Management Conference. The three-day conference was presented by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, and consisted of speeches, workshops and panel discussions.

Our presentation was on “How to Sustain a Joint Labor/Management Partnership”. The Joint Labor-Management program at Local 18 and DWP has been in place since 1996, making it one of the longest-standing programs of its kind in the country. We discussed how the original vision of the Joint Labor-Management system, brought to Department management by Brian D’Arcy, was conceived and set up, and how it has, in fact, exceeded all expectations. We covered the history of our union-management relationship, reviewed some of the disputes that lead to the adoption of the JLMC process, the growth of our committee structure, the present status of the system, and the projected future of the labor/management relationship, including the Joint Safety and Joint Training Institutes.

Our panel followed up our presentation by fielding questions from the people who attended this session. There was a lot of interest from groups that were interested in starting their own programs. Unfortunately, we also heard from a few organizations that could not keep their programs going. The questions and input that we received from the participants of this workshop solidified my belief that while the Joint Labor-Management process is not an easy way to do business, the gains for both sides are well worth the extra effort.

I came away from this conference with a renewed enthusiasm for the JLM process and the relationship between our Union and DWP management. Juan Carlos Gonzalez of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, who acted as our moderator, said that we were the most cooperative labor and management group with which he had worked. I also got a real feeling for how we are truly on the leading edge of labor-management relations. The founders of this process can be rightly proud of what their system has achieved.

I want to express my personal appreciation to all past and present participants on our Joint Labor-Management committees. Your dedication and perseverance has created a better work environment at the Department of Water & Power. For those of you who are not yet members of JLMC’s, I encourage you to communicate with the committee members in your area and let your voice be heard.

Stay active and stay informed!

In Unity,

DAVE HUFF