{"id":1923,"date":"2021-06-28T10:00:42","date_gmt":"2021-06-28T14:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gardium.com\/?p=1923"},"modified":"2021-07-05T14:05:05","modified_gmt":"2021-07-05T18:05:05","slug":"anticipate-and-prepare-for-labour-dispute","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gardium.com\/en\/blogue\/anticipate-and-prepare-for-labour-dispute\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Anticipate and Prepare for a Labour Dispute"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Strikes or lockouts are sometimes unavoidable and represent a challenge for the security field. The particularity of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardium.com\/en\/expertises\/labour-disputes-and-executive-protection\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"196\">managing a labour conflict<\/a> is that it is fueled by emotions, and the situation can escalate quickly. What is the sequence of events that leads to a workplace conflict? And how do you avoid the outbursts that can tarnish the company&#8217;s image and reputation?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What Precedes a Conflict?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The answer is quite simple: two parties that do not get along. On one side, we have the company or the managers, those we will call \u201cthe clients\u201d, and on the other side, the unionized employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Generally, the conflict starts following the accumulation of disruptive elements for one or the other of the parties involved: long and unsuccessful negotiations, sporadic pressure tactics, management offers or union demands deemed unsatisfactory or even unacceptable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When there seems to be no hope of a settlement or if discussions break down, a labour dispute will be initiated. This can take two forms: a strike, called by the employees, or a lock-out, called by the employer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Proper Preparation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A labour dispute does not happen overnight. There is a long process that must be followed, on both sides, before a dispute can be initiated. It is generally a few months or even a year before the end of a work agreement that the preparation must begin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn crisis management, there is no room for improvisation,\u201d explains Martin C\u00f4t\u00e9, Conflict, Investigation and Background Check Specialist at Gardium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A customized plan, generally called a contingency plan, will be presented to the company well before the conflict begins. It takes into account several factors: the number and profile of employees, the geographic location of the company, the intensity of the demonstration activities, the secondary picketing points (on the premises of partners or suppliers), etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe contingency plan is similar to the security instructions you are presented with when you get on a plane,\u201d says Martin C\u00f4t\u00e9. \u201cThey are presented to you when everything is calm, in the hope that they will never have to be implemented!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although there are many similarities and common denominators, each conflict is different and has its own particularities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe procedure is different from one aircraft to another,\u201d continues Martin C\u00f4t\u00e9. \u201cThe location and number of doors vary, for example. The same principles apply at the corporate level.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If agents are deployed to provide conflict management, they will be mandated by the client to perform the following tasks:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Secure the business and its buildings;<\/li><li>Protect the assets, management and non-union members;<\/li><li>Protect the company&#8217;s image;<\/li><li>Exercise executive protection (if necessary);<\/li><li>Cover and secure any secondary picketing;<\/li><li>Protect employees from themselves (spillover).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, despite the implementation of all the preventive measures, it can happen that the situation leads to overflow and requires emergency protocols. In this case, the plan must be followed to the letter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn a crisis situation, it is no longer the time to read the safety brochure,\u201d explains Mr. C\u00f4t\u00e9, following the airplane analogy. \u201cIt&#8217;s time to take action.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">How do problematic outbursts manifest themselves? Through threats, vandalism, intimidation or even physical violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cA tiny minority of protesters could commit serious acts,\u201d says Martin C\u00f4t\u00e9. \u201cIt&#8217;s the same principle as at a sports team&#8217;s championship celebration. There will be mainly supporters, families, in short, law-abiding people among whom will be hidden the thugs whose only goal is to do damage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The <strong>Roles of Deployed Agents<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The primary goal in managing labour disputes is to allow the company in question to regain control of access to its site and prevent any disturbances. To achieve this goal, Gardium advocates a respectful approach to the human element.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn a labour dispute, there is a truth,\u201d explains Dany Laflamme, President and CEO of Gardium. \u201cThe two parties that are fighting are in a way condemned to get along, and will one day have to collaborate again, work, and even celebrate the holidays together!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When tensions rise, deployed agents must remember that they are working with people, and consider the emotions of the workers involved. The approach to take is to give protesters the appropriate response under any circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There is also the legal aspect. The right to strike is perfectly legitimate, but it must be exercised in an orderly fashion and in accordance with the laws that guide our society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The agents do not confront the demonstrators, quite the contrary! They document any disruptive activity that causes harm to the customer, and keep a record of it by video capture. If necessary, legal proceedings can be initiated in collaboration with the client&#8217;s lawyers to obtain injunctions that will more adequately regulate the demonstrations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Gardium&#8217;s Approach<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As long as no agents are deployed in the field, consultation services, including contingency planning and coaching of management, are offered free-of-charge. Under no circumstances will Gardium be involved in the negotiation or mediation process between the employer and the union.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gardium Security, which has a team entirely dedicated to the management of labour conflicts, stands out in the market because of its know-how and its knowledge of jurisprudence in the area of injunction investigations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOur team is made up of experts who only do labour conflict management,\u201d says Martin C\u00f4t\u00e9. \u201cBeing deployed regularly and for a large number of conflicts in Quebec, they remain at the cutting edge of legal issues.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You are about to start a negotiation process and would like to benefit from Gardium&#8217;s expertise? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardium.com\/en\/contact\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"275\">Contact us now<\/a> so that we can prepare a plan tailored to your company.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is the sequence of events that leads to a workplace conflict? And how do you avoid the outbursts that can tarnish the company&#8217;s image and reputation?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1909,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[31],"class_list":["post-1923","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-labour-disputes","tag-labour-disputes"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gardium.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1923","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gardium.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gardium.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gardium.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gardium.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1923"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.gardium.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1923\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1932,"href":"https:\/\/www.gardium.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1923\/revisions\/1932"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gardium.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1909"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gardium.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1923"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gardium.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1923"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gardium.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1923"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}