In order to prepare for union contract negotiations at the
             manufacturing plant in which I supervise, I must undergo a series of steps.
             First and most importantly, I must review union agendas from previous
             negotiations; this will help me understand how former arguments were dealt
             with and whether the desired outcomes were achieved. I will also review
             the key issues that were discussed so I can determine if they will
             resurface in the upcoming negotiations.
             Secondly, I need to review the operating experience during the span of
             the previous contract. This includes determining how much the contract
             impacted my plant's efficiency and success; having this information will
             help me plan accordingly for the next contract. I also must consider what
             items union members will be bargaining for, and whether it is beneficial
             for me to join certain groups together in order to gain leverage.
             Next I must compile accurate data regarding benefits and wages,
             because this will provide me with key baseline comparisons that I will need
             to refer to during the discussion. Some of this data include a wage and
             benefit chronology over the past 10 to 15 years; a historical summary of my
             plant's productivity rates, production levels, etc.; a chronology/recap of
             labor costs such as health insurance, pensions, vacation pay, hourly rates,
             etc.; average weekly hours for my group; paid lunch periods, breaks, wash-
             up times, and time off for union business; and overtime hours worked each
             week. During negotiations, this data will provide me with a wage bracket
             reference chart, a detailed breakdown of key labor costs, and most
             importantly, a baseline to estimate the cost of new economic considerations
             and strategies. I must also study external factors within my industry
             (i.e., other employers' compensation packages, benefits, recent contract
             settlement terms, etc.) because this can provide me with h...