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Create a Joint Committee

Joint committee members represent labour (union locals) and management including human resources personnel and operational managers. The joint committee’s role is to promote workplace learning and literacy in the corporation and to plan, set up, evaluate, and improve learning programs. Through collaborative work, the joint committee helps ensure that these programs become an ongoing part of municipal training and development strategies.

Some joint committees invite an instructor, funder, or community or literacy representatives to be part of the committee as external stakeholders in either an advisory capacity or as committee members. Fairness, open communication, and respect guide the committee’s work at all times.

Joint committee members usually have the authority and decision-making power to carry out the steps in the 12-step planning cycle. Committee members need the support of their unions and supervisors to commit the time and energy necessary for a successful program. An ongoing job of the joint committee is to promote commitment and acceptance of the program at all levels of the corporation.

What are the responsibilities of the joint committee?

The joint committee’s responsibilities can include

• setting terms of reference and guidelines for the work of the joint committee
• conducting or managing the organizational needs assessment
• establishing principles to guide the learning programs
• developing an evaluation strategy for ongoing and final evaluation
• designing the learning programs
• recruiting participants, hiring instructors, training peer tutors
• implementing and evaluating the programs
• recommending change based on the evaluation results
• promoting program commitment and acceptance at all levels of the corporation
• recognizing success and celebrating the results.

How do you work together as a joint committee?

Co-chairs: Committees often have two co-chairs, one from management and one from the union. Each co-chair provides a consistent link to senior management and to the union executive. Co-chairs

• set agendas and inform members of meeting
• keep people focused and on track throughout the meetings
• get volunteers for tasks or assign tasks to committee members
• follow up with members to ensure that tasks get completed.

Decision making and communication within the joint committee: Joint committees make decisions by consensus. Members discuss until everyone reaches a point of understanding, agreement and resolution. Can each person live with the decision? Committee members also

• support each other through open communication
• offer computer training to committee members who need it, so everyone can participate fully
• assign a note-taker who will take and distributes the minutes of meetings
• share the work among committee members.

Authority of the joint committee: Through discussion with senior management and union executives, the joint committee establishes its level of authority and how the committee will exercise its authority. These terms of agreement define the circumstances in which the committee can act on its own authority and those circumstances where senior management and union executive have to endorse or approve their decision. The agreement also sets out how senior management and union executives grant and record their endorsement.

Communication with key stakeholders: The joint committee is responsible for communicating with all levels of the corporation using appropriate methods.

Group	Suggested Communication Method
Senior Management	personal contact/presentation
Senior Union Executive	personal contact/presentation
Senior Union Executive	e-mail or personal contact/presentation
Shift Leaders	e-mail, phone call, or printed materials
Shop Stewards	e-mail or personal contact
Staff	e-mail, phone call, or printed materials such as posters

 

Guidelines for working together: Joint committees follow these guidelines: · Include everyone in the discussion, decision making, and activities of the committee. · Vet issues with members who were not present at a meeting before making decisions. · Listen to each person and respect each other’s opinions. · Share responsibilities and accountability fairly. · Keep your principles and programs goals visible.