"Knock, Knock - Who's There? The Union -- What To Do When Changes in the Environment Invite Conflict"

The new federal administration will bring about a variety of significant changes for the human resource management field. A critical area of change will include employee and labor relations. This workshop will focus on the application of emotional and moral intelligence in handling relationship shifts in employee and labor relations for public sector organizations of all sizes. Attendees will: 1. review the proposed 2009 changes at the federal government level under the new administration and how that will impact their own organizations - including EFCA (Employee Free Choice Act) as well as mandatory collective bargaining for first responders. 2. analyze their own work settings in terms of how to enhance union and management relationships in light of the fact that the shifting political agendas will open (and re-open) many unmet union demands.

Dr. Traaen is a former President for the Western Region of IPMA-HR and the former President for the Arizona Chapter of IPMA-HR. She is also the most recent author of the revised certification curriculum for the national IPMA-HR credentialing and professional development process. She has 32 years of professional experience in public sector HR in Arizona and is an adjunct faculty member for the Arizona State University School of Public Affairs. She is the owner and CEO of a full service human resource management company based in Phoenix, Arizona, that was initially purchased in 2007. Dr. Traaen may be joined for this session by Mr. Bob Oberstein, an Associate of the firm and a recognized senior private and public sector labor negotiator, mediator and AAA arbitrator. Mr. Oberstein is an Associate with the firm Traaen & Associates, LLC.