SHARE leaders have travelled to Chicago this week to attend the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services Conference. The event brings together an all-star cast of labor and industry leaders, as well as academics and facilitators.

SHARE/UMass Memorial
Interest-Based Bargaining Facilitator,

Joel Cutcher-Gershenfeld,

moderating the Partnership Day discussion

In past years, SHARE has presented at the conference, describing our unique kind of union, as well as our successes with UMass Memorial to engage our members in improving patient experiences.

This year, the theme is “Future @ Work.” SHARE has focused its attention on the various models of union-management partnership to better understand how we can better cultivate our own union for the future. Participants at this year’s conference have been invited to:

Learn from distinguished labor, management, and new economy thought leaders
Problem Solve at workshops focused on actual situations and practical solutions
Network with labor relations and workplace professionals from around the country and the world
Prepare your organization for the future with advice from experts who are forging paths to partnership and organizational success

Former U.S. Secretary of Labor, Robert Reich,
delivering the keynote address
at FMCS 2016 Partnership Day

The FMCS is an independent agency within the Federal Government whose mission is “to preserve and promote labor-management peace and cooperation.” Their staff provides mediation and conflict and resolution services to business, government, and community groups around the country. Speakers at this year’s conference include national labor-management and economy leaders, such as Richard Trumka, President of the AFL-CIO; Bill Ford, Jr., Executive Chairman of the Ford Motor Company; and Thomas Perez, U.S. Secretary of Labor.

We’re looking forward to hearing reports from the various panels, presentations, and workshops that our friends are attending. More to come . . .