Workplace Fairness Institute

wfiJOURNAL Latest Edition Now Available!

2011-12-13T12:08:00.000-08:00

The latest edition of the wfiJOURNAL is now available at The wfiJOURNAL is a free online journal that takes contributions from practitioners and academics who are interested in workplace related issues. This latest edition explores the union's role in workplace conflict management.

"CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN YOUR WORKPLACE ",

2011-11-25T16:28:00.000-08:00

WFI in conjunction with York University, DCE .

Feb 7 - Mar 20, 2012. Tues eve's, Sundays, Toronto.

GROUP RATES, CUSTOM TRAINING, IN-HOUSE CLASSES

The top-down management of conflict in the workplace can be frustrating for everyone. Typically, conflict is addressed after things have gotten out of hand and the conflict is entrenched in the workplace. Your best employees have left and those embattled have dug in. Unresolved disputes weigh down your workplace’s productivity and the cost of conflict mounts. Individuals suffer but the biggest loser is the workplace itself.

The solution is to deal with workplace conflict before it escalates. Everyone in the workplace can be agents of conflict resolution with the right tool kit. This course, offered to individuals and to groups, is a guide to more efficiency in the workplace because conflict takes time but unresolved conflict takes more.

In the workplace, the broadest range of conflicts arises. There are daily interpersonal conflicts; important issues of workplace regulation, efficiency, productivity and safety; and issues of human rights. In this course, participants will explore the maze of statutes, rules, laws and conventions that offer conflict management options. Students will analyze the different models of dispute resolution and practice using various models and innovative methods to solve different kinds of problems. course description >>

This course fulfils the DCE elective requirement forYork University's Certificate in Dispute Resolution. Taken independently, students will receive a Certificate of Completion in Workplace Conflict Management from York University. In conjunction with the Workplace Fairness Institute (WFI), this course will pre-qualify students to take the WFI certification seminar to become a Workplace Fairness Analyst. Students who enroll in the WFA Certification training will receive a $300 discount on the cost of the course (including materials). To learn more about our Special Group Rates, Customized Training, In-house Classes, please contact us at 416-736-561

CERTIFICATE: Students receive a certificate from York/WFI.
PLACE: Room TBA, Atkinson Bldg, 4700 Keele St. East, York University. Groups may negotiate in-house classes.
TIME: Tuesdays: 6:30 - 9:30 pm. Sundays: 9:30 am - 4:30 pm.
DATE: February 7 - March 20, 2012.
COST: $1300.00 + taxes. For group rates: 416-736-5616.
NOTE: To become a certified Workplace Fairness Analyst (WFA), there is an additional one-day class, discounted.
CONTACT: coned@yorku.ca or 1-855-900-YORK

One student writes: "Blaine takes the topics and concepts to a much higher level where we find stimulation and an incredibly valuable learning experience. As a HR/IR practitioner, Blaine added tremendous value to my knowledge and skills."

Join Us on Linked In

2011-10-27T10:59:00.001-07:00

The Workplace Fairness Institute is host to a discussion group that covers a wide variety of topics. The most recent topic concerns workplace bullying. Be sure to join in on the discussion.

The Madison Moment: North American Public Sector Collective Bargaining

2011-05-28T06:57:00.001-07:00

Over the last year or so there have been over 700 attacks in the United States upon public sector collective bargaining. This alarming trend is also finding root in Canada with the elimination of collective bargaining rights for transit workers, the legislation back to work of Crown prosecutors and government attempts to impose wage restraints upon the public sector. This free symposium will explore this issue through a distinguished panel of speakers.

Elaine Bernard, B.A. (Alberta), M.A. (UBC), PhD (SFU)
Executive Director, Labor and WorkLife, Harvard Law School

Robert Hebdon, B.A., M.A., PhD (U of T)
Professor, Faculty of Management, McGill University

Elizabeth Shilton, B.A., M.A. (U of T), LLB (Dal), LLM (Harv)
Labour Lawyer and Author

Sam Gindin, B.A. (Manitoba), M.A. (UW-Madison)
Packer Chair in Social Justice, York University

Thursday, June 23rd, 2011, 7-9 p.m.
Ted Rogers School of Management, Ryerson University
CMA Student Lounge, 7th floor, 55 Dundas St. W. Toronto

Sponsored by:

University of Toronto Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources

Ryerson University Centre for Labour Management Relations

CUPE 3902

The Society of Energy Professionals (IFPTE Local 160)

The Workplace Fairness Institute

Workplance Fairness Certification Training June 25, 2011

2011-04-22T05:34:00.000-07:00

We are offering a one day certification training session again on June 25, 2011 in Toronto at the ADR Institute of Ontario's offices. We are also offering simultaneous training by live feed around the world. So if you are interested in taking this training but dont want to travel to Toronto, then join us by live feed from the comfort of your home. All you need is a computer with a web cam.

March 19th Training Now Has Live Feeds

2011-03-08T11:28:00.001-08:00

We have decided to offer the Workplace Fairness Certification Training in three locations simultaneously through live feeds. On March 19th we are offering training in Toronto, Calgary and Petawawa. For further details or to sign up visit our web site at www.workplacefairness.ca

WFI is Coming to Calgary!

2011-03-03T11:36:00.000-08:00

Join us in Calgary on March 19th, 2011 to become certified as a Workplace Fairness Analyst. For details see www.workplacefairness.ca

Book Launch Engaging Unionized Employees

2011-01-05T14:21:00.001-08:00

Book Launch Engaging Unionized Employees

I am pleased to announce the launch of our next book:

Engaging Unionized Employees: Employee Morale and Productivity (Aurora: Canada Law Book, 2010)

Date: February 1, 2011
Time: 6-8 pm
Place: Imperial Pub (2nd Floor)
Address: 54 Dundas Street East (1 block east of Yonge)

See you all there!

Join us on Blog Talk Radio Tuesday October 5th 8 pm EST

2010-10-01T14:21:00.000-07:00

Can workplace conflict be managed simply through mediation, conflict coaching and the various other methods proposed by consultants? And what is the purpose of these methods? Is it to manage conflict? Or is it something that runs much deeper? This talk explores the importance of understanding workplace fairness in managing conflict. We will explore short, medium and long-term effects of unfairness in the workplace and discuss how to move from a culture of unfairness to a culture of fairness in the workplace.

Join Pattie Porter and I on Blog Talk Radio:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/texas-conflict-coach/2010/10/06/tuesdays-with-texas-conflict-coach

Become a certified Workplace Fairness Analyst with the Workplace Fairness Institute

2010-07-04T16:54:00.000-07:00

The Workplace Fairness Institute is offering a one day training session to those who qualify to become Workplace Fairness Analysts.

This session will be held at St. Paul’s Anglican Church (Bloor Street between Jarvis and Church) starting at 9 a.m. and going to 4:30 pm on Saturday, September 11, 2010.
This designation demonstrates that a workplace practitioner is qualified in the use of the tools developed by the Workplace Fairness Institute to analyze workplace conflict management systems.

This course costs $489 +HST per person which also covers the cost of the book Workplaces That Work: A Guide to Conflict Management in Union and Non-Union Work Environments (Canada Law Book, 2006).

Applicants for this certificate training must pre-qualify by demonstrating that they have sufficient knowledge and expertise in workplace conflict management. Applicants can demonstrate sufficient expertise by showing they have some training and/or experience in: human resources, labour relations, ombuds functions, organizational development or behaviour, management, union representation, workplace mediation and/or arbitration.

Applicants with training, education and/or experience in any of these areas will be pre-qualified to take the one-day certification course.

You can sign up by sending an email to the Workplace Fairness Institute at: donais@workplacefairness.ca

For further information go to this site:

http://www.workplacefairness.ca/analysts.html

If you have any questions you can call 416-720-1229.

Tuesday was a Success

2010-07-01T10:25:00.000-07:00

We had our second cohort of Workplace Fairness Analysts learn about the One Day Assessment (1DA) on Tuesday. All went very well, thanks partly to our growing strategic alliance with Bruce Ally and A Place for Mediation. We expect to be offering 1DA's within the next month. Everyone is excited with our progress.

The Saturday Session

2010-06-27T13:51:00.001-07:00

Well the Saturday session was very successful. We went over the One Day Assessment (1DA) tool and had a very important discussion about conflict and how we describe it. I am very impressed with the quality of discourse and the commitment our analysts have shown to workplace fairness.

Our next meeting (with the second cohort) is coming up on Tuesday June 29, 2010 at St. Paul's Anglican Church between Jarvis and Church on Bloor street at 6:30-9:30 pm.

I expect we will have the same interesting discourse and also will work out our approaches to workplaces in need of fairness.

We Are Growing Again

2010-06-19T14:58:00.000-07:00

I would like to congratulate the first 12 candidates who have become certified by the Workplace Fairness Institute as "Certified Workplace Fairness Analysts".

Our first two training sessions for the WFA's will be on Saturday June 26 and Tuesday June 29 at St. Paul's Cathedral (on Bloor between Church and Jarvis streets on the south side).

They will be learning how to use our One Day Assessment (1DA) Tool. This tool can be used by Certified Workplace Fairness Analysts to help organizations understand more about their cultures and sources of conflict. It also helps them identify, evaluate and improve their conflict management system.

I am looking forward to introducing them all after the meeting.

Will the Real Workplace Fairness Institute Please Stand Up!

2009-11-07T07:43:00.000-08:00

After having founded the Workplace Fairness Institute in 2005 and working hard to ensure a reputation for fairness and partnership in the workplace, I was appalled to find that our name was being used by a right wing U.S. organization to oppose the Employee Free Choice Act

The Employee Free Choice Act, would serve to allow protections to employees who sought to organize into a union. This Act provides protections similar to what Canada has had for many years. These protections have ensured that employees are treated fairly and with dignity as they make their free choice to belong to a union.

The "other" Workplace Fairness Institute opposes this legislation. In fact the other WFI was created specifically for this purpose.

I wish it known on behalf of myself and other supports of the Real Workplace Fairness Institute, that we do not agree with these impostors. After many years of scholarly research and practice in the area, I firmly believe that a unionized workplace provides for stronger, more effective and fairer conflict management than a typical non-union workplace.

Therefore, I personally support the American legislation and hope that American workers will have the same protections that we enjoy in Canada. And I find it objectionable that the "other" WFI would usurp this name - especially because it appears that their goal is to actually prevent legislators from making U.S. workplaces more fair.

A fair and balanced article on EFCA can be found on wikipedia

Welcome to the Workplace Fairness Institute

2008-07-26T20:17:00.000-07:00

The Workplace Fairness Institute - Conflict Management Solutions, provides workplaces with services aimed at helping them manage conflict. The WFI web site can be found at http://www.workplacefairness.ca

Our companion blog is workplacesthatwork.blogspot.com

The WFI consists of:

Blaine Donais
President and Founder

Bernd Weller
Vice President and Senior Consultant

Rosalie Bellefontaine
Director of Operations