MANUFACTURING - secure.ibew.org...Our beliefs are summarized in the Manufacturing Code of Excellence. NTT: Distribute the Manufacturing COE handout. IYOW: The success of the COE doesn’t

Instructor’s Guide

For

COE CORE MODULE

MEMBERS

MANUFACTURING

From the President

COE Manufacturing ● Members ● IBEW ● October 2016 5 ● INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

NTT: Introduce yourself.

IYOW: On behalf of the (insert number of members) that we represent in (insert

number/name of locations) here in (insert local #), which was chartered in (insert

charter year), welcome to this COE training.

NTT: Read the purpose and learning objectives.

20 MINUTES


INTRODUCTION

NTT: If there are more than 20 people in the room, ask people to do introductions

with a partner (the person sitting next to them) or in a small group.


INTRODUCTION

NTT: Ask participants to introduce themselves by sharing their name, number of

years with the IBEW and/or the company, and one word that comes to mind when

they see the IBEW logo.

Keep in mind that not all words will be positive, the key points may include:

Unity/Solidarity

IBEW members

Brothers/Sisters

Better wages and benefits

IYOW: This logo was revealed in 1999 under the leadership of International President JJ

Barry and then International Secretary‐Treasurer Edwin D. Hill. The logo, which has 10

electric bolts, “symbolizes the energy with which the IBEW moves forward into the 21st

century and a new millennium, while looking back to honor and celebrate the 10 founders

and their vision of the future for the union.”

IYOW: The question for us to ponder, as a union, is how do we harness the energy that

our logo symbolizes in a way that helps us to realize a positive future in this global

economy? A future that provides us with the necessary resources to care for ourselves

and our families, gives us more pride in our union and the workplace, increases

membership involvement, builds meaningful and lasting relationships within our work


INTRODUCTION

and home communities and positions us to become the employer’s first choice in

performing the work. And how do we do that when we are looking at the tough reality

of our industry?

IYOW: Nationwide, here’s what we’ve experienced in terms of jobs.

NTT: Briefly highlight 1 or 2 points about the data.

IYOW: In terms of new manufacturing job growth, nationwide, here’s what we’ve

experienced.

NTT: Briefly highlight 1 or 2 points about the data.


INTRODUCTION

IYOW: As you can imagine, our current state of reality has impacted our membership.

The lost in manufacturing members is not just about membership numbers for IBEW, it’s

about our sisters and brothers who are no longer able to provide for themselves and their

families in the way they once did. It’s about employers not feeling any pressure to

negotiate competitive wages and benefits for other union and non‐union workers. It’s

about our communities who are losing resources because we are no longer able to

contribute to the growth of local businesses.

IYOW: Speaking of our local contributions, here is a look at our plant and local statistics.


INTRODUCTION

IYOW: Given these statistics, it may be difficult to think about how we can harness the

energy that our logo symbolizes in a way that helps us to realize a positive future in this

global economy. However, if we are going to survive as members of the union, we must.

One way to do that is by implementing a Code of Excellence program.

COE Manufacturing ‐Members ● IBEW ● October 2016

1 ● FOR THE TRAINER

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOR THE TRAINER………………………………………………………………..1‐4

INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………………5‐10

COE PURPOSE………………………………………………………………………11‐14

COE VALUES…………………………………………………………………………15‐21

COE RESPONSIBILITIES………………………………………………………….22‐36

MATERIALS

SIGN IN SHEET (Required)

HANDOUTS (Required) o Values of the Code of Excellence for Members

o Certificate

o Manufacturing Code of Excellence

o Evaluation Form (during pilot year)

COMPLETED LOCAL UNION COE (If applicable) o Verify with the Business Manager or designee if this will be distributed during the

training or at a later date. If it is during the training, have copies available.

SUPPLEMENTAL MODULES (Optional)

HANDOUTS (Optional) These items are to be used only at the trainer’s and local’s discretion.

o Local Agreement

o Member Commitment

ADDITIONAL COE RESOURCES o COE Toolkit on Local Connections

o IBEW Education Department webpage

o Industry specific webpage



FOR THE TRAINER

Acronyms

The following acronyms are used throughout the instructor’s guide. Please note what is for

you to say and what is for your own information as the trainer.

IYOW = In Your Own Words and provides guidance as to what the trainer should say.

NTT = Note to Trainer and provides information/direction for the trainer to follow. This

information should not be read aloud to the participants.

ASK = Ask participants the question that is written.

Training Time:

This training is designed for a minimum of 2 hours. There are some supplemental modules that

could be added to increase the time or done at a different time for further instruction. If you

are given less than 2 hours to conduct the training, you may want to consider dividing the

training into two 1 hour segments. It is possible to conduct this training in 90 minutes but you

would need to greatly reduce the participant’s level of involvement (which is not encouraged).

Places to make those adjustments have been noted throughout the training. However, this

training should be promoted as a minimum of 2 hours to adequately cover the material as

prepared.

Training Materials

There are some materials that are required as part of this program and some that are optional.

Please confirm with your Point of Contact at the local if they wish to use any of the optional

handouts/materials prior to conducting the training.



FOR THE TRAINER

Before the Training

Thoroughly read through the instructor’s guide and make any notes as needed so that

you are comfortable with the content, prepared with examples, and can make any

adjustments to the activities based on the amount of time given to conduct the training.

Ascertain the status of the local’s implementation plan and whether or not it will be

distributed during the training or at a later date/time.

Verify the number of participants, location, and the amount of time you will have to

conduct the training.

Communicate your training needs to your Point of Contact (i.e. laptop, projection

screen, wall space, external speakers, etc.).

Test all equipment to make sure it’s working.

Arrive to your training location at least an hour in advance so that when participants

arrive, the room is set up and you can greet them.

Write the COE goals on a flipchart and post in the room.

During the Training

Connect the program to the local as often as you can.

Pay attention to the audience and make modifications as needed.

After the Training

Submit the sign in sheet and evaluations via mail to IBEW Education Department, 900

Seventh Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001 or via email to

[email protected].



CODE OF EXCELLENCE An IBEW Program Core Module for Members

Learning Objectives

Participants in this training will:

Articulate components of the COE program

Reflect upon their responsibilities within the COE program

Training Time

2 – 2.5 hours

Training Materials

PowerPoint presentation

Branch specific video (if applicable)

Laptop

LCD projector

External speakers

Flipchart

Painter’s tape (if the flipchart paper doesn’t have adhesive backing)

Markers

Handouts

o Completed Implementation Plan (if applicable)

o Sign in sheet

o Values of the Code of Excellence for Members

o Certificate

o Manufacturing Code of Excellence

COE Manufacturing ● Members ● IBEW ● September 2016 11 ● WHAT IS THE CODE OF EXCELLENCE

What is the Code of Excellence?

IYOW: The COE was started in the Construction branch over 10 years ago “in response

to a shrinking market share that we, as a union, let slide for far too long,” as noted by

International President Emeritus Ed Hill. In an effort to turn things around, IBEW had to

demonstrate to both the customer, the contractor, and some of our members, that we

took our commitment to excellence seriously. As the COE developed, it became not only

the foundation for excellence in Construction, but was adopted for other branches

throughout the IBEW.

NTT: Display the slide and emphasize that this Code of Excellence program

was developed specifically for Manufacturing by Manufacturing members.

20‐25 MINUTES



Being the leaders that we are, the COE also became the foundation for other building

trades as well. Today, we continue to build upon what we started more than 10 years ago

and reaffirm our commitment to excellence by reaffirming our commitment to the Code.

ASK: How would you define excellence in the workplace?

NTT: Solicit and chart a few responses.

IYOW: The Code of Excellence, an IBEW program, represents some of the beliefs that you

identified through five values, Safety, Professionalism, Accountability, Relationships, and

Quality. We refer to these values as SPARQ (pronounced “spark”). The SPARQ values are

for every IBEW member, regardless of their branch. It is our belief that implementing



SPARQ will not only help promote the standard of excellence in the workplace, but it will

also help us, as members, reinforce the objects of our brotherhood.

IYOW: Let’s watch a short clip that illustrates this point.

NTT: Show overall program video or branch specific video.

ASK: What are some of the things from the video that resonated with you?

NTT: Key responses will vary depending upon which video was shown but should

include some of the COE values, Safety, Professionalism, Accountability,

Relationships, and Quality.



IYOW: To reverse the pattern of declining membership, we can dedicate ourselves to

practicing safety, exemplifying leadership daily, being the best at our jobs, maintaining

the highest productivity, and committing ourselves to a day’s work for a day’s pay. By

doing so, we can give future generations a brighter future and the same or better

opportunities than those we enjoy today.

IYOW: While we know that a majority of our union sisters and brothers exemplify these

principles every day in the workplace, we can’t ignore the few that don’t. Why? Because

the few that don’t represent these values still represent IBEW. As a result, judgements

are made by employers, customers, and our communities about the quality of services

that our union sisters and brothers provide and about the type of union we belong to.

The COE gives us an opportunity to highlight what we’re doing right and to shed some

light on those areas where we can improve.

COE Manufacturing ● Members ● IBEW ● October 2016 15 ● COE VALUES

COE Values

IYOW: We have stated what the COE values are, now let’s explore what those values

mean to us.

ACTIVITY: Adding Meaning to our Values (10 minutes) – Assign participants to groups of

3‐5 people and distribute the handout, “Values of the Code of Excellence for Members.”

Participants should follow the directions on the handout and discuss and record specific

examples of how each value is relevant to them. For example, for Safety, the participant

may list OSHA, personal protective equipment, hand sanitizer, etc. They have 10 minutes

to discuss and complete.

30‐45 MINUTES


COE Values

NTT: Emphasize that everyone in the group should record the list because anyone

from the group could be called upon to share their list.

NTT: After the allotted time, thank participants for their work and let them know

that you’ll be asking them to share some of their responses as you review the

values.

NTT: Some modifications to this activity could include doing this as a whole group

and calling on a few people to give examples, having people pair up instead of

putting them into groups, or assigning each group one value to focus on. If you do

the latter, make sure they record examples for the other values during the report

out.

IYOW: Safety is something that we should practice every day. Whether those safety

regulations are government regulated, industry regulated, or contractor regulated,

practicing safety is the responsibility of every member.

NTT: Call on a few people to share their examples of safety from the previous

activity and chart their responses. If time is of the essence, only call on a couple of

people and don’t chart.


COE Values

IYOW: We have to remember that safety measures/practices are not put in place so

that we can be inconvenienced, but put in place to avoid workplace injury, and in some

instances, death.

IYOW: The second value, Professionalism, speaks to how we present ourselves at the

workplace, the attitude in which we do our work, and the manner in which we

communicate, among other things.

NTT: Call on a few people to share their examples of professionalism from the

previous activity and chart their responses. If time is of the essence, only call on a

couple of people and don’t chart.

IYOW: As professionals, we need to make sure that our attire is appropriate for the work

environment (i.e. clean), that we are communicating in a manner that is respectful of

ourselves and the person we are speaking with, and that we are acquiring or maintaining

the requisite skills and knowledge to perform our assigned work. Our professionalism is

demonstrated in the performance of our work, the proficiency in which we work, and the

outcome (product) of our work.


COE Values

IYOW: Accountability is another value under the COE program. As union sisters and

brothers, we are accountable to one another and as employees, we are accountable to

the employer and/or the customer.

NTT: Call on a few people to share their examples of accountability from the

previous activity and chart their responses. If time is of the essence, only call on

a couple of people and don’t chart their responses.

IYOW: We can’t, as a practice, only hold the employer accountable to the contract, but

we must also hold ourselves accountable to the language that we negotiated. Holding

ourselves accountable to the contract and to these other values, directly impacts the

growth in our industry and the growth in our membership. Employers see our

accountability and want us to do the work. Potential members see our accountability and

want to join us. Members see our accountability and want to be involved with us.


COE Values

IYOW: Through the COE, we also have the opportunity to focus on building positive

Relationships. These relationships can be between labor and management, labor and

labor, and/or labor and the community.

NTT: Call on a few people to share their examples of relationships from the

previous activity and chart their responses. If time is of the essence, only call on a

couple of people and don’t chart their responses.

IYOW: If we’re talking about the labor management relationship, our focus could be on

mutual respect, being proactive, and exploring shared interests. Labor to labor

relationships can focus on how we are welcoming people into our brotherhood and

encouraging involvement within our union and the broader labor movement. The labor

and community relationship can focus on the difference that we are making as employees

and union members in the communities in which we work and/or live. When we are

intentional about excellence through building relationships, we demonstrate we are

intentional about remaining relevant.


COE Values

IYOW: Producing Quality work is our trademark.

NTT: Call on a few people to share their examples of quality from the previous

activity and chart their responses. If time is of the essence, only call on a couple of

people and don’t chart their responses.

IYOW: It’s not a question of whether or not we have the knowledge or the skills to

produce quality work, but it is a question of whether or not we’re consistently producing

quality work. Whether it’s a matter of not having the appropriate resources needed to

perform our work or a matter of taking short cuts to complete our work quicker, we can’t

afford to sacrifice quality. The cost to you and your family simply is not worth it.


COE Values

IYOW: When we demonstrate the COE values, SPARQ, we create opportunities for

members to:

take more pride in their work and in their union,

build the local union by increasing membership and member involvement, and

position ourselves to be the employer’s preferred choice to perform the work.

We also give those in our communities more information about who we are and earn

their respect and support for what we do.

COE Manufacturing ● Members ● IBEW ● October 2016 22 ● COE RESPONSIBILITIES

COE RESPONSIBILITIES

IYOW: We’ve identified the values of the COE program, now let’s examine how we work

together to achieve those values through the key responsibilities of those involved.

IYOW: The COE is intended to help every IBEW member be the best employee that they

can be and uphold their responsibilities under the collective bargaining agreement.

Therefore, our responsibilities under the COE are vital to the program’s success.

45 MINUTES



IYOW: How do we do that? By demonstrating our COE values, SPARQ, with integrity. The

COE program, for most of our members, simply reaffirms the values that they have

adopted and demonstrated from day one at the workplace. However, for a few of our

members, it means a change in workplace practices. While the program provides tools for

the shift to occur, it’s really up to us, as members, to make that shift happen.

IYOW: The COE gives us an opportunity to create an environment in which it is not only

acceptable but expected for our members to say, “Hey Sister” or “Hey Brother” when

someone is engaging in workplace practices that jeopardizes their livelihood. Providing

that nudge to encourage one another to practice the COE values, SPARQ, while practicing

SPARQ ourselves, is how we show that we not only care about the work that we do but

that we care about each other.



ACTIVITY: Hey Sister/Hey Brother (10 minutes) Read scenario 1. After reading it, ask for

a couple of volunteers to complete this sentence, “Hey Sister/Hey Brother…” Repeat this

same process for scenario numbers two and three.

Scenario 1: You notice coffee spilled on the floor and look up to see that it is coming from

the person walking in front of you. Hey Sister/Hey Brother…

NTT: Responses will vary but the intent is to get participants to recognize that they

shouldn’t just leave the mess for somebody else to clean up, that the spilled coffee

could be a safety hazard, and that it is possible that the person didn’t know that

they were spilling coffee.

Scenario 2: It’s Friday and today you wore you favorite “weekend” shirt to work that says,

“Don’t ask me $#%!” Hey Sister/Hey Brother…

NTT: Responses will vary. You want participants to identify the potential pitfalls

that wearing this shirt could have, i.e. lack of professionalism, offensive to some,

may prevent collaboration, dress code violation, etc.

Scenario 3: Overtime was mandated for 50% of your department and jeopardized your

ability to attend an upcoming event. Your co‐workers volunteered so you wouldn’t have

to. Hey Sister/Hey Brother…

NTT: Responses will vary. The intent is to get participants to recognize that the

COE is not just about identifying things that need to be corrected but also things

to be celebrated.

IYOW: Each member, by law, is entitled to union representation. However, this does

not mean that we have to tolerate poor work ethic or behavior. Our collective goal is to

help a troubled worker before it becomes a discipline issue and positive peer pressure

goes a long way in correcting negative behavior.



IYOW: Under the COE, officers and leaders will be responsible for fostering a Code of

Excellence culture.

IYOW: That culture includes, but is not limited to:

Reinforcing a sense of pride amongst the membership using SPARQ

Modeling the values, SPARQ, of the COE

Promoting the values, SPARQ, of the COE

Providing ongoing support to assist members in being successful

under the COE



Correcting issues before they become problems

Not tolerating job interruptions, work stoppages, or other member‐

initiated workplace disruptions.

IYOW: Additional responsibilities for officers and leaders may be found in the local’s COE

implementation plan. This implementation plan outlines the specific needs of the local

and practical steps for a successful COE program.

IYOW: The business manager is mainly responsible for the overall administration of the

COE program in the local. That administration is not simply making sure that the program

exists at the local, but to make sure the pieces are in place so that the program can

function successfully.



IYOW: Some of those pieces include:

Appointing stewards to focus on the COE program

Developing a COE committee to assist with creating and

implementing the COE program

Establishing regularly scheduled meetings with key players (i.e. COE

stewards, committee members and management)

Providing assistance or resources for a successful program

NTT: This would be a good place to distribute and/or communicate the local

union’s COE plan if you’re doing so as part of the training or inform participants as

to when they’ll get this information (i.e. from their COE Steward at a

predetermined time).



IYOW: As noted before, one of the responsibilities of the business manager is to appoint

stewards to assist with the day to day administration of the COE program. For program

purposes, that steward will be known as the COE Steward.

IYOW: The appointed COE Stewards should be members who have a good reputation at

the workplace and integrity as an individual as they will be responsible for:

Promoting the COE values, SPARQ

Modeling the COE values, SPARQ

Providing assistance to members to help them be successful

demonstrating SPARQ



Communicating effectively with members and management

regarding COE related concerns

Working in conjunction with the business manager to implement the

COE program for the local

Involving union officers to assist in coaching individuals who need

guidance meeting the COE standards

IYOW: COE Stewards will receive skills training to assist them in fulfilling their

responsibilities. However, the members who are appointed as COE Stewards must have

characteristics that will motivate and inspire others to demonstrate SPARQ on a daily

basis.



IYOW: The values that we bring to the workplace as part of the COE program are just as

beneficial to the employer as they are to our members. Since this is our program, it

doesn’t require the employer’s permission for the local to adopt it. As a matter of fact, if

the employer doesn’t partner with the local then we still proceed forward with adopting

the program to demonstrate the values of the IBEW to each other and others that benefit

from our work (i.e. families, customers, communities, etc.).

IYOW: However, because relationships are something that we value as part of the COE,

we do seek the employer as a partner in adopting this program with us.



ASK: What do you believe are some of the benefits in having the employer partner with

the union and adopting the COE program?

NTT: Key responses may include better labor management, increase work, higher

safety record, greater customer satisfaction ratings, etc.

IYOW: For the reasons that you noted, we recognize that if the employer partners with

us in adopting the COE program, it helps the entire work team be more successful in

reaching our shared goals. Those shared goals include higher customer satisfaction, a

higher safety record, better workplace morale, greater opportunities for future projects

or assignments, and a positive image and brand in our communities.

IYOW: Regardless of whether or not the employer partners with us, they still have the

responsibility to make sure that their employees have what they need to complete their

assignments as safely and timely as possible. They also still maintain their right to hire,

fire, and discipline employees.



IYOW: So what difference does the COE make for the employer? It builds/maintains a

commitment to the union to work together to see these values in the workplace on a daily

basis. It also provides space to have a collaborative conversation so that the union and

management are working together to resolve concerns and celebrate successes. Does it

mean that there won’t be disagreements between labor and management? Of course

not, but it does mean that we can shift our focus to one of solution seeking as opposed

to finger pointing.

NTT: If time permits, you may share the following example, or another example,

that reinforces the benefit of a labor/management relationship under the COE. For

example, a member was facing disciplinary action because of her chronic tardiness.

When it was brought to the attention of the union, they discovered that the

member was late because she had to wait with her son, who has down syndrome,

at the bus stop. Upon receiving this information, the union was able to institute a

plan where members volunteered to go and wait with her son at the bus stop so

that she could be on time for work. Thus, averting any disciplinary action. This is

but one example of what a relationship with the employer can do under the COE.



IYOW: As representatives of the employer, management also has some responsibilities.

Those responsibilities include:

providing proper equipment, materials, tools, and training for employees

maintaining a positive working relationship with union leadership and stewards

selecting quality supervisors who understand the work and how to communicate

work needs in a professional manner

taking responsibilities for their actions so that we can promote a productive work

environment

IYOW: While there are locals in other industries that have negotiated COE partnership

agreement language, the construction industry is currently the only industry that has

Category 1 contract language requiring the employer to partner with us in implementing

the COE program. With or without contractual language, we have to let the employer

know that it benefits them to partner with us.



IYOW: As a reminder, the COE values create opportunities for us to take more pride in

our work and in our union, build the local union by increasing membership and member

involvement, and position us to be the employer’s preferred choice to perform the work.

We also give those in our communities more information about who we are and earn

their respect and support for what we do.

IYOW: We have also talked about some of the responsibilities of the key players involved

in making sure the COE is a success in the workplace.

NTT: Call on five volunteers to identify one key player and one of their

responsibilities.



Answers will vary, but should relate to some of the examples shared in the training

for members, officers and leaders, business manager, COE Steward, and the

employer.

ASK: With a partner, share one thing that you will personally do to help the local

implement and maintain a successful COE program. Each of you will have 2.5 minutes to

share your response.

NTT: Inform participants when 2.5 minutes are up so that their partner has an

opportunity to share their answer to the question.

NTT: After 5 minutes, solicit a couple of responses.



IYOW: Craftsmanship and professionalism are the foundation of the IBEW. As proud

members of our union, we are each committed to:

Maximizing production with attention to safety

Performing highest quality of work

Exercising the best skills in the marketplace

Applying the industry’s best work practices, and

Fostering a positive culture and partnership with our employers.

Our beliefs are summarized in the Manufacturing Code of Excellence.

NTT: Distribute the Manufacturing COE handout.

IYOW: The success of the COE doesn’t just rely on our words, but on our actions. It is our

actions that will demonstrate to the employer and the community that we are serious

about the commitment that we are making both personally and collectively.



ASK: Are there any questions about the COE program?

NTT: Answer any questions that you are able to and appropriately defer those that

you are not.

IYOW: The COE is our program, and it is about focusing on our core values, that reinforce

our foundational principles. Safety, Professionalism, Accountability, Relationships, and

Equality. As IBEW members, we represent those principles in the workplace, in our home,

and in our communities.

IYOW: Thank you for being the energy that honors and celebrates our 10 founders and

their vision for IBEW. Thank you for being the energy that moves us into and beyond the

21st century. Thank you for your commitment to demonstrating daily our IBEW Code of

Excellence values.



NTT: Distribute evaluation forms (if this is the pilot year of the program) and

certificates to participants.

Documents

MANUFACTURING - secure.ibew.org...Our beliefs are summarized in the Manufacturing Code of Excellence. NTT: Distribute the Manufacturing COE handout. IYOW: The success of the COE doesn’t