Mac Roberts & Associates

Our clients

Some Client Experiences

ENERGY SECTOR

MUNICIPALITIES

PROVINCES

INDUSTRIAL SECTOR

UNIONS & ASSOCIATIONS (Locals involved in Joint Ventures) 

BTU          CNFIU        0PSEU       SOCIETY

BCGEU     ECWU        PEINA        TWA

CAW         IAFF          PSEC          UE

CEP          IATSE         PWU           UFCW

CUPE        IBEW         SGEU          USWA

 

BRUCE POWER CORPORATION
Working with Bruce Power since its inception, the Corporation has gone through a hectic initiation period. On refurbishing and starting up two reactors they are helping Ontario cope with their significant electricity needs.

Within this time a new collective agreement was developed between the PWU and Bruce Power using Interest-Based Negotiations, which established enablers of organizational change.

The parties have also initiated a significant interest based, safety improvement process aimed at achieving zero injuries. This joint process was led and supported by Bruce Power Management and all three Labour Unions on site. All Management departments have played and are continuing to play key roles as they move towards a Zero Injury workplace.

         

ONTARIO HYDRO
The Power Workers Union and Management undertook an initial experiment with a joint process aimed at pre-empting the potential strike issue of contracting out. The parties successfully resolved this issue in a relatively unique manner and this initial experience convinced the parties to take a similar approach into the 1992 bargaining process. Again with our help they had unprecedented success highlighted by having all subcommittees reach agreement for the first time and wrapping up the total package without the use of the customary Government mediator.

         

POWER WORKERS UNION
Working with the Union Leadership and eventually all Sector Leadership groups, we helped the PWU implement a Strategic Planning process throughout the organization including within the Organized Sectors and the Union Staff. We have also facilitated a round of Interest-based Negotiations with the Staff Union and supported the Union in other improvements. Many of the changes they have implemented have made the PWU one of the more progressive Unions.

         

CITY OF TORONTO
We are working with the City of Toronto to assist in transforming of its Labour Relations culture. This process is currently ongoing within the Toronto Fire Service. We are also faciliating "Targeting Zero Together" a joint union-management initiative to create a culture of continuous improvement of safety performance and capability across the organization. As a key agent in this change process the Labour Relations Team is also undergoing change themselves as they shift their role in facilitating this culture change process. Excellent progress has occurred with the city particularily in the reduction of grievance backlog and improving the grievance and arbitration process going forward. 

         

TORONTO FIRE SERVICE & THE TORONTO FIRE FIGHTERS ASSOCIATION
The Fire Service and the Fire Fighters Association is working to change the culture within the Fire Service. The recent contract negotiations included a number of joint projects being applied to various systems and processes within the service all with the goal of improving their service to the Community in a way that is beneficial to the Service and the people within the Service. (Find out more)

         

CITY OF SASKATOON
The summer of 1994 was not a pleasant one for the employees of the City of Saskatoon or its citizens. For eight weeks the majority of its workers were on strike. Even after settlement hard feelings existed among Union, Management and the City Council. Working with The Alliance of City Workers (eight unions) and the City Management team Mac Roberts and Associates helped them develop a Joint Venture initially aimed at healing and then evolving into an ongoing process of improvement. Shortly after this the Unions used an interest based approach as we facilitated a renewal of all collective agreements.

         

SASKATCHEWAN GOV’T and THE SASKATCHEWAN GOV’T EMPLOYEES UNION (S.G.E.U.)
After many years of very traditional methods we helped the parties establish a new cooperative approach. This approach was used by the parties to conduct a set of successful negotiations and move forward.

         

WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY
We have facilitated successful negotiations with a number of the University’s Unions. In addition, we completed a training process with their Managers aimed at helping them become more proactive through the use of improved planning and problem-solving skills.

         

ROYAL ROADS UNIVERSITY
We helped C.U.P.E. and Management negotiate and implement a five year first Collective Agreement that helped build the foundation of a uniquely modeled University.

         

VICTORIA AIRPORT AUTHORITY
Working with the Union (Public Service Alliance of Canada - PSAC) and Management we successfully concluded a five year first Collective Agreement. This agreement included a number of relatively unique initiatives as part of a commitment towards a joint collaborative venture as the Authority transformed itself into a Local Authority.

         

 

SASKATOON CHEMICALS
Our work with Saskatoon Chemicals is a leading example in Canada of a highly successful, very complete Joint Process. Much of the first stage of that process is documented in a video entitled, “For the People and the Business”. The highlights of this process are too numerous to mention. However, for that 4-5 year period, the company has shown significant improvement in profits, productivity and safety. In addition they successfully completed three sets of nontraditional bargaining with each becoming catalysts for further improvement. Through utilization of joint processes, Saskatoon Chemicals had developed a significant training process and became fully certified as ISO9002 (an international standard for quality control).

         

SIEMENS-MILLTRONICS
Initial work with Milltronics and now Siemens-Milltronics we have facilitated the parties (Management and the Independent Association) to three successful Interest Based Negotiations processes.

         

 

WESTBRIDGE COMPUTER CORPORATION (now I.S.M.)
Originally SaskComp., the Crown Corporation responsible for all computer systems within the Saskatchewan Government, Mac Roberts & Associates was involved for the first three years of their existence with the Union and Management working together to significantly change the Corporation. The process involved privatization, mergers and significant work with employees to help them become more market and customer oriented. Westbridge has now become I.S.M. which is a part of IBM and is highly successful. The initial goal of securing quality jobs within Saskatchewan had been achieved.