At 12:30 I walked into class and there were 70 students dressed in business attire! They had each elected a representative to deliver their presentation to management and negotiate their way out of the second exam. Student Local 1 and Student Local 2 also knew that depending on their performance that one or both may take or be excused from the second exam (if that makes sense). To make the simulation as real as possible I took a moment to pull the TA's into the hall to formulate our negotiation strategy for the management team just like I did as a union negotiator a long time ago at Xerox. In essence, it did not matter what the union negotiators had to say -- we were going to do our best to shoot it down or refute it. Hardball all the way, baby!
As we got started, each Local was reminded that the syllabus was our union contract. If they were going to win any concession from management it would have to be based on the syllabus policies, procedures, and so forth. And away we went.
Student Workers Local 1 was up first. One of the students had baked muffins for me and the rest of management (to butter us up apparently). I told them I was diabetic and shocked they would want to see me sick. Of course, I am not diabetic -- it was just a tactic I would have used back in the day to find any way to get my opponent back on their heels and gain an advantage in the negotiations. It worked but then the negotiator on their side started to make the case for not taking the exam. As it turned out, all the points they made to not take exam 2 could be tied back to negotiation principles and strategies (that I will reveal to them tomorrow). We grilled them at every turn but they stood behind their negotiator -- solidarity, n'est pas? Another key union concept.
Next up was Student Workers Local 2. The management team was now warmed up and started to get on the case of the second negotiator. He was dressed to the nine's and smooth but not smooth enough. He got grilled, too, but we put his points for not taking the exam on the board opposite those of Local 1. The team even had prepared a power point presentation to make its points for not taking the exam. When points were made the rest of the students showed their support by cheering and expressing their unity.
You have no idea how impressed I was with my students.
We then went out to caucus, which meant sitting out in the sun and deliberating our response. I let the TA's have as much say in what we would decide to do as possible -- they are managers in training and development in our program afterall (another win from this impromptu idea). We spent about 12-15 minutes deliberating and headed back to class.
What we found when we walked in the door was not students looking to the door for an answer from us on the exam. Instead, we found the student negotiator for Local 2 reviewing the worksheet that was due that day in class with the rest of the students who were shouting out their answers as he read teh questions and grading as they went. I was blown away by this show of self-directed learning to say the least.
Unfortunately there was no time to walk through the good news and not so good news about the presentation that was made so they will know better if ever in a similar situation at a union hotel or any business establishment when negotiations are involved, especially that "kissing ass" can backfire. Once I walk them through what they did they will get our decision because they have to wait until class tomorrow to find out. I will not share that now on this post in case any of my awesome students are following the blog. In the meantime, what do you think my answer should be?!
If wanting to quiz me more on the details that cannot be shared on this blog post give me a call at 765-484-6218 or send queries to mlalopa@fooded.org
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