STATE OF PLAY
A leading U.S. manufacturer was entering labor negotiations with multiple unions across different business units. The company had a strong track record of successful negotiations with organized labor. Still, the renewed labor movement in the U.S., attacks against “big business” from both the left and right, and shifting business dynamics internally created a potentially challenging negotiation environment. Even more concerning was the possibility that breakdowns in negotiations spilled over into a referendum in the press on the company’s business practices.
We flipped the script, engaging in an offense play that challenged the fault benefits of rate setting and advanced a competing solution to surprise medical billing signed into law at the end of 2020.
ACTION
Research & Strategic Counsel. The Narrative team provided strategic guidance based on extensive research of recent labor negotiations and peer company practices to help inform positioning for the company as they approached negotiations. Like the NRLC and NCCC, the company acknowledged that their traditional approach to communicating around labor developments might no longer work and deliberated on proactively engaging in external communications throughout the negotiation process.
Content Development. Narrative helped design site-specific fact sheets highlighting employee numbers, company investments, safety upgrades, and other benefits for communicating with employees around negotiations. Narrative also assisted in drafting a comprehensive messaging playbook with press statements, Q&A briefs, and other materials for different scenarios during talks to prepare the company ahead of time.
Media Monitoring. Narrative then conducted in-depth monitoring of social media channels and specific individuals representing labor for any developments that could signal opposition to negotiations or tentative agreements. This was in addition to routine updates on media coverage around other ongoing negotiations to provide insight into the environment in which the company was operating.
IMPACT
The company successfully ratified agreements with all unions involved without significant delays or breakdowns in negotiations.
