Joint Union / Management Programs

Program on Innovative Employment Relations Systems - PIERS

PIERS is an outreach division of the School of Labor and Industrial Relations at Michigan State University. PIERS assists labor and management leaders to make changes and improve their unionized organization through joint labor-management efforts. These efforts may range from large-scale organizational change to brief training events.

PIERS faculty provide expertise in:

• Joint labor/management initiatives
• Facilitation
• Consulting
• Assessment
• Program development
• Training
• Evaluation

PIERS approach:

• Results-oriented and client-centered
• Combines established methods and leading-edge theory to facilitate processes
• Helps groups to carry out an agenda for change that they themselves create

PIERS adds to this process its:

• Knowledge of labor relations law and practice
• Experience in unionized workplaces
• Expertise in strengthening the union-management relationship