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  9. Effective negotiating & bargaining skills: March 2016

Effective negotiating & bargaining skills: 9, 10, 11, March, 2026, Southwest region, In Person, Exeter

This course is for those who are negotiating with management or those in the branch who want to learn more about the negotiating process. You will learn about the phases of negotiation, how to represent members effectively, how to develop arguments, define a bargaining strategy and respond to unfair tactics. This course will also touch on some of the practices taught in both strike school and organising for power.

Bargaining courses

Course details

Nation/region:Southwest
Course meeting dates: 9, 10, 11, March, 2026

Please ensure you can attend the entire course prior to submitting your application  form. Please further ensure you have secured time off from your employer to attend.
Course meeting times:9:30 am. to 4:30 pm. (with breaks and lunch)
Course time commitment:21 - 25 hours, including all course meetings & pre-course work
Location:Exeter 

Please be aware: Applications for this course will close at 12 noon on Wednesday 4th March 2026. This allows course logistics, accommodation/refreshment bookings & logins etc. to be generated in good time. Applications beyond the closing date risk not being accepted.

Course content

This course will enable you to:

  • define what is negotiating and bargaining
  • understand what external factors effect collective bargaining
  • explain ways in which members terms and conditions are decided
  • identify legal rights that may be used to support bargaining
  • identify the phases of negotiation
  • explain how they can obtain, interpret and summarise materials and information to support bargaining
  • ensure negotiations are conducted with due regard for agreed protocols and guidelines
  • practice techniques for building rapport and communicating effectively when bargaining
  • identify the key components of a negotiating team
  • describe how an effective negotiating team can be developed
  • identify opportunities for communicating with members and encouraging their engagement and involvement in the negotiating process
  • describe how bargaining goals and objectives can be determined
  • plan a bargaining strategy for an issue affecting members in their workplace
  • plan a campaign around a bargaining issue
  • state the key components of a bargaining strategy
  • practice techniques for responding to unfair tactics in negotiations
  • assess and identify different negotiating styles
  • explain how the success or failure of negotiations can be evaluated and built upon.
UCU courses are funded via members' contributions and public funding.

Information Facility time

Time off for training is a right and one which should be exercised as part of normal industrial relations. For more info please see  Facilities and time off for UCU reps.

When you apply for a course we will assume that are making a commitment to attend the course as advertised, and have secured time off from your employer. Please contact your branch/region if you are having problems securing time off.

Important Before you complete this form, please be aware: You may be asked to register with the delivering college in which your trade union tutor is employed. Where colleges are drawing down funding for delivery you will be ask for your passport or equivalent identification details to register. This is a demand of the college who are following government requirements in order to satisfy public funding criteria. This is not a requirement UCU want to see and we are lobbying for change. However, as it stands, if you do not register with the college, your place will not be fundable.