General:
Joint meetings should take place during work hours.
Union Representatives should receive normal pay for joint meetings and should be allowed work time, with pay, to prepare for and follow-up on such a meeting.
There should be good faith and good will on both sides. The meeting process should not be subverted for other reasons. Most importantly, the process must not be simply an exercise tofulfillrequirements of the law or the collective agreement.
The parties should share whatever information is reasonably necessary to allow meaningful and effective participation in a joint meeting process, while ensuring that confidentiality requirements are met.
Both parties should be well prepared in advance of joint meetings and should be committed to implementation of meeting outcomes.
Where parties are unable to come to agreement, respective positions should be clearly understood and any common ground or proposals for resolution should be clearly identified and captured, in writing, before ending joint discussion.
Joint Committee Specific:
Terms of reference should be co-developed by members of a joint committee.
Clear objectives should be established from the outset.
Participants should have clear mandates, influence over the outcomes, and a stake in implementation of actions jointly agreed-upon.
Mutual respect for the legitimacy and point of view of all parties is basic to successful joint meetings.
Appropriate training should be provided to joint committee members.
Union Representatives should be given time, with pay, to perform their duties as a member of a joint committee, including preparation for meetings, implementation of meeting decisions and necessary consultation with the membership.
There should be a commitment of adequate time, resources and necessary supports for joint work.
Where possible, the parties should develop both short and long-term plans and strategies for joint work.
Parties should come to joint meetings fully prepared including; initiation of proposals for discussion, review and consideration of proposals and formulating informed responses and/or alternatives to proposals, and providing effective advice on any steps necessary to achieve joint objectives resulting from proposals.
When joint committee work does not lead to agreement, participants should hold themselves accountable for the results.