Effective collective bargaining requires far more than negotiating skills. It demands a sophisticated understanding of contract language, costing, communication strategy, and the organizational and legal frameworks that underpin the bargaining process. This intensive certificate program brings together the strengths of Toronto Metropolitan University, Lancaster House, and the Centre for Labour Relations Training & Development (CLRTD) to deliver a rigorous, practice-focused learning experience.

Grounded in a balanced and evidence-based approach, this program prepares participants to navigate complex negotiations, interpret and draft collective agreement language with precision, manage costing with confidence, and communicate strategically with stakeholders and the public. Designed for experienced HR professionals, union representatives, labour relations specialists, and managers involved in negotiations, the program blends asynchronous learning with interactive virtual sessions to support deep skill development.

By the end of this program, participants will be able to:

• Demonstrate an advanced understanding of the legal and practical foundations of collective bargaining.
• Interpret collective agreement language accurately and apply core principles of contract interpretation.
• Draft clear and enforceable collective agreement clauses that reduce ambiguity and prevent disputes.
• Analyze a complete collective agreement to identify risks, gaps, and areas for improvement.
• Use Excel effectively to organize bargaining data, build templates, and support evidence-based decision-making.
• Calculate the financial impact of bargaining proposals using appropriate costing models.
• Evaluate the sustainability and organizational implications of contract changes.
• Integrate costing results into overall bargaining preparation and strategy.
• Develop a coherent bargaining strategy that aligns goals, communications, and negotiation priorities.
• Communicate strategically with members, media, leadership, and bargaining counterparts.
• Navigate difficult bargaining scenarios using principled, consistent messaging.

• Day 1: Bargaining Foundations
• Day 2: Drafting and Interpreting Collective Agreements
• Day 3: Excel Bootcamp
• Day 4: Costing
• Day 5: Bargaining Strategy
• Day 6: Advanced Bargaining Simulation