Building Public Policy Together: Consensus-Based Policy Creation, Employers & Employees Welcome

1. Building Public Policy Together: Consensus-Based Policy Creation, Employers & Employees Welcome Learn about types of consensus-based policy creation that bring together employers, government agencies, advocates and workingwomen and men to work together to create common ground solutions to workplace issues. This process of consensus-based policy creation is especially important when building public policy that helps build equitable, flexible and diverse workplaces. Presented by: Jim Hudson, Program Director, Center for Lobbying in the Public Interest Katie Corrigan, Co-Director, Workplace Flexibility 2010, Georgetown University Law Center Tricia Dwyer-Morgan, Director of Programs, BPW Foundation

2. Consensus-Based Policy Creation We must hang together, or we shall surely hang separately. - Benjamin Franklin

3. Consensus-Based Decision-Making A consensual agreement or win-win outcome of collaborative problem-solving and conflict resolution(www.biol.tsukuba.ac.jp?~macer/biodict.htm)

4. Informal vs. Formal Consensus-Based Policymaking Informal…deliberately reaching out to various stakeholder groups and building policy that reflects a perceived consensus among the offered opinions Formal… banding together to develop common ground and influence policy A spectrum of options…not either/or

5. Models of Consensus-Building • 3rd Party Broker* • Coalition-Building* • Cooperative Ventures • Neighborhood, City, County, State Task Forces • Civic Coalitions • Forums and Dialogues • Advisory Commission

6. Who Uses Consensus–Based Decision Making? • Employer/employee policy development (Workplace Flexibility 2010; BPW Foundation) • Government agencies--National Park Service uses to create strong public involvement in land-use decisions (www.nps.gove/phso/rtcatoolbox/dec_consensus.htm) • International coalitions to resolve international issues such as negotiations over limiting emission greenhouse gasses • Local volunteer-based coalitions and partnerships to engage volunteer resources to solve community issues (www.pointsoflight.org) • Administrative law has traits of consensus-based decision-making

7. Traits of Consensus-Based Process • Unbiased mediator/facilitator • Longer timeframe • Participants identify issues in common to all the groups, seek to understand each other, develop agreed upon results • Decisions aren’t made until everyone agrees

8. Consensus-Building for Policy Change • How does consensus-based decision-making for policy change differ from other forms of consensus-building? • How does it “feel” different from other types of policy efforts • How is it similar? • What tools do you need?

9. Third Party Case Study

10. Tools for the Campaign – Six Steps for Advocacy • Vision and Strategy – what is the coalition’s mission and how will it achieve success? • Lobbying – how will the coalition effectively persuade policymakers? • Policy Management – how will the coalition negotiate to move its policy goals forward? • Policy Research – what data is available to strengthen the coalition’s argument? • Outreach – how will the coalition gain constituency and/or grassroots support? • Communications – how will the coalition frame its message to increase awareness of and support for its mission?

11. 3rd Party Brokers Case Study – Workplace Flexibility 2010 • Our mission: To achieve – by the year 2010 – consensus-based policy solutions on workplace flexibility that work for both business and families.

12. Case Study – Workplace Flexibility 2010 • Our goal: an accepted norm of workplace flexibility, which includes: • Flexibility in the scheduling of work hours; • Flexibility in the amount of hours worked; • Career flexibility over a lifetime; • Ability to deal with emergent needs.

13. Case Study – Workplace Flexibility 2010 • Our challenges: • To define workplace flexibility as a compelling public policy issue, not simply an individual problem • To bring together stakeholders – including employers and employees – with very different perspectives on workplace policies and the role of government in framing them • To engage those stakeholders in meaningful dialogue on workplace flexibility, while remaining a neutral facilitator of those discussions

14. Case Study – Workplace Flexibility 2010 • Our consensus-based process: A combination of formal and informal consensus-building

15. Case Study – Workplace Flexibility 2010 • In order to build support for comprehensive workplace flexibility policy, we have: • Built a substantive knowledge base on workplace flexibility, so we can serve as a resource for stakeholders and educate policymakers • Expanded the constituency base that cares about workplace flexibility – by engaging groups not ordinarily associated with workplace issues • Begun meaningful conversations between employers and employees on workplace flexibility – by convening working groups that equally represent those perspectives

16. Case Study – Workplace Flexibility 2010 • Our Lessons Learned: • When and where you can, take advantage of the longer timeline a consensus-based approach provides – to build your institutional knowledge and your understanding of the playing field • Provide opportunities for meaningful discussion without pressing for immediate consensus • Reach out to individuals and organizations who you might not ordinarily identity as an ally

17. Focusing on Coalitions Building a coalition of key stakeholders is one strategy used to bring together key stakeholders to affect policy development

18. What is a coalition?

19. What forms can these partnerships take? • Ad hoc task force • Legally recognized associations/federations • Partners in efficiency: • shared resources (space, staff, talent) • Information sharing network • Advocacy coalition

20. WHY??? Coalitions Build Power • Greater scale, reach, impact • Increased resources and capacity • Creates momentum • Mutual success fosters formidable perceptions • Individual organizations gain: credibility, power, recognition and CONTACTS.

21. Collaboration Requires • Common goals • Structures for planning, decision making, and action • Clear definition of roles and responsibilities. • Shared risks and rewards • General understandings and accepted agreements

22. Obtaining Benefits of Coalitions Tips! • Identify the Issue and the Stakeholders • Anticipate Conflicts; Agree to Disagree • Identify Capacity; Define Roles and Responsibilities • Ascertain: Is this Workable for Everyone? • Identify Your Logistical Capacity • Identify Your Place In the Policy Process • Organize • Get Down to Work • Pay Attention to Legal Considerations

23. Tip 1:Identify the Issue and the Stakeholders • Do we have a history of collaborating with others in our community? Can we transform that collaboration? • Who are the current convening groups or leaders in the community? • Are there any risks that come with this association? • Approach them!

24. Tip 2: Anticipate Conflicts; Agree to Disagree Address the following immediately: • Acknowledge any competing interests • Acknowledge mutual respect and trust • Acknowledge that coalition serves self-interests as well as common interests.

25. Tip 3: Identify Capacity; Define Roles and Responsibilities • Identify each partners strengths and weaknesses. • Establish a structure for deciding and defining roles and policies which builds on strengths. • Create the understanding that the coalition must be tolerant of dissent, nimble, flexible, and adaptable.

26. Tip 4: Is this Workable for Everyone? • Yes • Rural Groups • Chamber, hospitals, fraternal, booster clubs, state level affinity organizations • Urban Groups • Neighborhood associations, ethnic associations, unions, church • State Groups • Local organizations give voice and credibility • National Groups • State and local groups demonstrate representation.

27. Tip 5: Identify Your Logistical Capacity Identify how you will communicate, track, organize and mobilize. • Desktop Availability? • Website? • Other means of communication? • Who is responsible, and for which piece? • What and how are we tracking our effort?

28. Tip 6: Identify the Policy Process Learn the Basics of the system you intend to influence • You don’t have to be political scientist • School House Rock is the key • Use your lack of knowledge to foster relationships and trust • Surf the internet • Determine you insertion points

29. Tip 7: Organize • Find an ally and commit them to assisting • Delegate and assign responsibility • Reach out to those who know • Predict and prepare for positive and negative responses • Structure the organization so that it becomes institutional not peripheral

30. Tip 8: Get Down to Work Manage the coalition and get them to work • Choose issues based on common ground • Build towards success • Put up a “stop sign” before you move the highway • Fight today’s battles • Fight with today’s tools and today’s insights

31. Tip 9: Legal Considerations, What Works Best Depends on the Mission • What’s the purpose • Legislative advocacy • New power base? • Ballot Initiative? • Electoral Activities?

32. Tip 9: Legal Considerations II • It alway$ $eem$ to come down to the $$$ • Who’ll act as the fiduciary? • Is there any benefit to having a (c)(4)? • Tax deductibility • Will the coalition even qualify as a (c)(3)? • Would we be better of remaining unofficial?

33. Interactive Exercise - Use the following

34. Next Steps… Is there any situation or issue in your community that would benefit from consensus-based policy building?