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5. The way to make a procedure more objective in the eyes

of others is to:

(i) Make it clearly visible to all
(ii) Permit discussion of the procedure before applying it.
(iii) Arrive at agreement on procedure before applying it.
(iv) Refer to it specifically each time a point of order has
to be made.
(v) Refer back to it at the close of the meeting, pointing
out how it was used and how it helped.
(vi) Invite suggestions for improvement in the procedure
for the next meeting.
The success of the Workers' Council, Workers' Com-
mittee, and Super Workers Council (where one exists)
also depends upon the process used for conducting
meetings. Even where the attitudes are favourable. a
meeting that is allowed to ramble on out of control can
prove very frustrating. The lack of action or decision can
also be misinterpreted as a deliberate tactic of resistance.

The following steps are suggested as a procedural outline
for Council meetings. If they are to be used, it is recom-
mended that all parties be informed in advance that the
meeting will be conducted along those lines:

(i) Identify major problems

All parties — both workers and management — should
be invited to mention or write in advance to the Secretary
about problems they are concerned about and which they
wish to raise for discussion. The Secretary will include
them on the agenda for the next meeting by agreement
with his Chairman. If they can reply to the questioner
satisfactorily outside the meeting they may also do so. At
this stage, or during the meeting, discussion should be
limited to questions of understanding. To clarify: debate
about the causes of problems, or about corrective action
should be avoided. What should be made dear in each
case is the following:

(a) Exactly what the party bringing up the problems

feels should be happening.

(b) Exactly what the party has observed is actually hap-
pening.