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Tip Tuesday: Why is Benchmarking a Key Part of Bargaining Preparation?
March 15, 2022

When preparing for negotiations, it is so important to arm your side with as much information as possible. Benchmarking is so important and valuable! Why?

  • Provides an opportunity to measure how a CBA stacks up against the industry prior to sitting down at the table
  • Prepares the company to be ready to improve areas where the CBA lags behind … and to stand firm in areas where the CBA meets or exceeds the industry
  • Allows the company to better predict potential changes in pay, work rules or benefits
  • Gives the company hard data points to use in drafting and reviewing proposals
  • Results in better forecasting of future costs based on proposed changes
  • Arms negotiators at the table with facts and figures when presenting proposals in order to justify their position … and to counter union proposals and/or claims when necessary instead of having to research on the fly

*Note: Carefully choose the comparators used in benchmarking and be ready to defend those choices

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