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  9. Effective negotiating & bargaining: February/March, 2026, Online

Effective negotiating & bargaining: 26, February, 5, &, 12, March, 2026, Southern Region, Online

This course is designed for reps who are actively involved or soon to be actively involved in negotiating on behalf of members. Any branch officer may also wish to attend this course to understand the fundamentals or negotiating strategy, member support and organising around demands.

Bargaining courses

Course details

Region:Southern Region
Course meeting dates: 26, February, 5 & 12, 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 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Course time commitment:21 - 25 hours (including the course meetings).
Location:Online. The course materials & activities are on the UCU section of the TUC stream site for which you will receive a separate login nearer the course. The tutor lead delivery will be done via zoom for which you will receive a link nearer the course date.

Closure date: 

Applications for this course will close at 12 noon on Monday 16th February 2026. This allows course logistics and 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
  • 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

Online courses are no different to face-to-face courses in terms of time off for training. 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/devolved nation/regional office 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, you place will not be fundable.