Section 5-RBO Process

Question 1

Phoenix Firefighters Association Local 493 represents this membership and is invited through the _____________ process to participate in the design and implementation of the systems, procedures and processes that form the framework of our organization.

Answer 1

(RBO)

Question 2

The RBO process brings labor and ____________ together in an open and honest arena to work through tough issues, deal with conflict, and reach agreement.

Answer 2

management

Question 3

The Phoenix Fire Department uses RBO to manage new ideas and changes in the organization through the use of __________ that represent both labor and management.

Answer 3

committees

Question 4

The Fire Chief and the Union President appoint the ________ of each committee.

Answer 4

co-chair

Question 5

A _________ committee made up of management’s Senior Staff and Local 493’s Executive Board oversee the RBO process and discuss and decide on issues that could not be resolved through the normal process.

Answer 5

correlating

Question 6

The RBO process is based on the principal that those who are the ________ to the actual services we provide should be allowed equitable input into the system.

Answer 6

closest

Question 7

The RBO process ______ the relationship between labor and management.

Answer 7

solidifies

Question 8

The emphasis of this partnership is tackling issues and seeking equitable solutions without ________ relationships.

Answer 8

damaging

Question 9

The RBO process allows room for differing opinions without inviting __________ or unhealthy politics.

Answer 9

disrespect

Question 10

The end result is the Phoenix Fire Department is a fair, effective organization with “______” from all members, no matter what rank or position.

Answer 10

buy in

Question 11

The RBO process works because both sides respect each other as being credible participants who have _____ to ______, and because both sides remain open to another point of view.

Answer 11

value to offer

Question 12

Spend a day walking around the Phoenix Fire Department building and you’ll hear that a lot:

Answer 12

We just work it out

Question 13

Some people refer to it as the “________” and, in a sense; there is a little mystery involved.

Answer 13

magic dust

Question 14

There is discussion but no _______,and there is no fighting.

Answer 14

argument

Question 15

Issues that seem like they should bring nothing but chaos—like drug testing the entire Department—are problems that are simply and _______ solved.

Answer 15

quietly

Question 16

Police Officers in the City of Phoenix were paid at a rate ____ higher than firefighters.

Answer 16

17%

Question 17

When the city refused to create parity between Firefighters and Police, the International Association of Firefighters, Local 493 went so far as to create a public relations campaign on television, radio, and in the newspaper called: ______________

Answer 17

Firefighters make house calls

Question 18

If they couldn’t convince City leaders to come through with what they needed, they’d convince the ________ directly.

Answer 18

voters

Question 19

In 1984, __________ was a Federal Mediator who had worked with the City during its contract negotiations with firefighters.

Answer 19

Sam Franklin

Question 20

In ____, Sam Franklin was a Federal Mediator who had worked with the City during its contract negotiations with firefighters.

Answer 20

1984

Question 21

Sam knew _________ , who was, at that time, Local 493’s President.

Answer 21

pat cantelme

Question 22

He also knew Alan “______” Brunacini, at that time the Fire Department’s Chief.

Answer 22

Bruno

Question 23

What mattered most is that Sam Franklin also knew that Cantelme and Bruno had known one another for years, had worked together, and had a strong ___________to the process.

Answer 23

commitment

Question 24

Because of that key relationship, Franklin was willing to try something that had never been done before: a program called _____________

Answer 24

RBO

Question 25

RBO” had been used in the private sector, but never before had anyone tried the system in a _____ agency.

Answer 25

public

Question 26

It couldn’t be used to solve _____________ issues—those could only be negotiated officially with City Management.

Answer 26

wage and hour

Question 27

To start, they had to pick a “__________” away from Phoenix where there would be few, if any, interruptions or distractions.

Answer 27

neutral zone

Question 28

They picked _________, a two-hour drive from Phoenix.

Answer 28

flagstaff

Question 29

The scene of the first RBO showdown was the _________ Hotel in Flagstaff.

Answer 29

Little America

Question 30

Each side—_________ and Management—picked people for their teams that represented all aspects of the Fire Service in Phoenix.

Answer 30

Labor

Question 31

both sides either had to reach agreements, or they had to identify their _________ and come up with a way to resolve them.

Answer 31

differences

Question 32

This first RBO meeting went on like that for ___ days.

Answer 32

3

Question 33

Some couldn’t be solved even after three days. On those, they agreed to _______ and find common grounds.

Answer 33

disagree

Question 34

The next step in the RBO process was—and is—the ____________.

Answer 34

action plan

Question 35

Committee members are chosen in _______ numbers for Labor and Management.

Answer 35

equal

Question 36

Specific ________ are set up: how often the committee will meet, when the work needs to get done, and when the group will follow-up or report back.

Answer 36

timelines

Question 37

RBO Committees meet _________ and report back to the group at the annual meeting.

Answer 37

quarterly

Question 38

So, the reality is that once the annual RBO meeting ends, the _____ Committees take over.

Answer 38

Action Plan

Question 39

During the quarterly __________ meetings, these Labor/Management Teams decide the best way to meet the goals set for their Action Plan, and put in motion whatever is necessary to make those goals happen.

Answer 39

committee

Question 40

A _______ Committee, which includes the Fire Chief, Assistant Chiefs, the Union President, and the Union Vice-Presidents, tracks the progress of the Action Plan Committees.

Answer 40

Correlating

Question 41

“Don’t sacrifice a relationship for an __________.”

Answer 41

outcome

Question 42

These lines come directly from the Phoenix Fire Department _________ Regulations, Labor/Management Team procedures.Not exactly what you’d expect from an official rulebook, but those lines are really there, and they are the magic.

Answer 42

Administrative

Question 43

Protecting the ____________ remains the key reason why the RBO process continues to work today.

Answer 43

relationship

Question 44

When you observe the annual RBO process, you notice that the process isn’t nearly as________ or complicated as it was when it started.

Answer 44

formal

Question 45

This is more than a theme; it’s a mission.

Answer 45

put the member first

Question 46

It’s not uncommon for the Labor and Management co-chairs of each committee to spend a lot of time thanking individual committee members by name for the work they did on the project. This translates to: leave your ego at home.

Answer 46

share the credit

Question 47

Part of this is inherent in the committee process, but there is another part that’s subtler. The message is: if you want to see change, participate. If you don’t like the system, work to change that, too. Complaining without taking action will get you nowhere.

Answer 47

share the work

Question 48

The atmosphere is so casual that sometimes an issue is raised, ________ and assigned to a committee before you even realize what’s happened.

Answer 48

discussed,

Question 49

It’s not to say that there is never conflict—there is. But, by sticking to the system, treating one another with ___________ , and protecting the relationships, conflict can happen without permanent damage. That’s the real goal.

Answer 49

respect

Question 50

When the RBO system works…

Members _____ because they’re involved in the solution and can personally create change.

Answer 50

gain

Question 51

The Relationship by Objectives system is a tool that allows Labor and Management to work through tough issues, _________, and reach agreement.

Answer 51

deals with conflict

Question 52

It allows the Phoenix Fire Department to be more __________ as an organization by improving service delivery, customer service, and most importantly, improving the quality of life for its members.

Answer 52

effective

Question 53

Those are the basic values that drive the organization—in other words; it’s the Phoenix Fire Department “_____”.

Answer 53

way