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Trade Union Engagement and Collective Bargaining

Move union relationships from confrontation to constructive engagement without giving away the store. This programme builds practical skills in preparing for wage negotiations, running bargaining sessions and maintaining sound day to day relationships with shop stewards and union officials. It is grounded in the African labour landscape, where collective bargaining, recognition agreements and industrial action shape operational stability.

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Register for this course

What you will be able to do

  • Explain the collective bargaining framework and recognition arrangements.
  • Prepare a negotiation mandate, costing and fallback positions.
  • Apply structured bargaining tactics during wage and condition negotiations.
  • Build constructive day to day relationships with shop stewards.
  • Manage deadlocks, disputes and the risk of industrial action.
  • Draft and administer collective and recognition agreements.

Course outline

  1. 01The collective bargaining and recognition landscape
  2. 02Preparing a mandate and costing offers
  3. 03Bargaining strategy and negotiation tactics
  4. 04Managing the bargaining table and caucuses
  5. 05Working with shop stewards day to day
  6. 06Deadlocks, disputes and industrial action
  7. 07Drafting and administering agreements
  8. 08Negotiation simulation and debrief

Who should attend

HR managers, employee and labour relations practitioners, operations managers and negotiators who engage with trade unions and workplace forums.

Dates, venues and fees

DatesVenueDaysFeeCalendarRegister
29 Sep to 1 Oct 2026Johannesburg3R13,000Register
30 Sep to 2 Oct 2026Cape Town3R13,000Register
5 to 7 Oct 2026Durban3R13,000Register
6 to 8 Oct 2026Pretoria3R13,000Register
7 to 9 Oct 2026Windhoek3US$1,500Register
12 to 14 Oct 2026Gaborone3US$1,500Register
13 to 15 Oct 2026Maseru3US$1,500Register
14 to 16 Oct 2026Mbabane3US$1,500Register
19 to 21 Oct 2026Lusaka3US$1,500Register
20 to 22 Oct 2026Harare3US$1,500Register
21 to 23 Oct 2026Lilongwe3US$1,500Register
26 to 28 Oct 2026Blantyre3US$1,500Register
27 to 29 Oct 2026Mozambique3US$1,500Register
28 to 30 Oct 2026Nairobi3US$1,500Register
2 to 4 Nov 2026Dar es Salaam3US$1,500Register
3 to 5 Nov 2026Kigali3US$1,500Register
4 to 6 Nov 2026Kampala3US$1,500Register
9 to 11 Nov 2026Accra3US$1,500Register
10 to 12 Nov 2026Lagos3US$1,500Register
11 to 13 Nov 2026Cairo3US$1,500Register
16 to 18 Nov 2026Mauritius3US$1,500Register
17 to 19 Nov 2026Dubai3US$1,500Register
18 to 20 Nov 2026Online3US$900Register

Fees are per delegate. South African venues are priced in rand; other locations and online in US dollars. Fees exclude 15% VAT where applicable. Group bookings of three or more delegates from the same organisation qualify for a reduced rate; contact us for a quotation.

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