When responding to a union’s economic proposal, never use the wording we cannot afford to … or anything like that. Doing so would allow the union to assert that you are pleading poverty. They would ask to see your organization’s detailed financials. The NLRB typically supports a union’s request for financials. It would be very problematic to step back once you say that the organization cannot afford something.
Instead, be sure that management’s team members have been briefed on what to say and not to say regarding economics. Here are some appropriate responses3 for management to use when rejecting any of the union’s economic proposals:
• The market doesn’t bear it.
• We already have very competitive ______________. ...
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