Prioritizing agenda items is a key step in preparing for a successful labor-management meeting. Only your committee can define how you prioritize, because only you know the real impact and ramifications that issues and solutions have in your agency.

Questions to Ask

Come up with your own "List of Key Questions" to set priorities. For each issue you identify, ask these questions to help prioritize the issue:

How many people are affected by this issue?

How many are affected indirectly? The nature of the issue will determine the level of importance to those affected by the issue. Safety or security issues need impact only a few to be very important.

What are the costs and the benefits?

Remember, staff time also represents cost. Benefits include reduced errors, improved quality, service, morale, or efficiency as well as direct cost savings.

Is the issue time-sensitive or does it have a deadline? Is it an important safety issue that should be resolved quickly?

Time sensitivity may also exist due to seasonal demands and work cycles, agency or worksite operations scheduling, or purchasing or training requirements involved in an issue or proposal.

How motivated and committed are both parties to resolving this issue?

What’s in it for each of us? Do we both agree this is one of the most important issues to be resolved?

What are the consequences of deferring this issue or not addressing it at all?

Does this unresolved issue create other secondary problems or side effects? Consider if this issue is all or part of the root cause of other workplace concerns.