Every few years the union must renegotiate the collective bargaining agreement. The basis for negotiations is building on the wages and benefits that we have previously won during prior negotiations. The specific items negotiated come from the membership. You have, or will be given the opportunity to complete surveys, participate in meetings, or send in your ideas. The negotiating teams reviews these ideas, prioritizes them based on membership interest and then develops contract language that becomes a “proposal” which is presented to management at the bargaining table. Meanwhile the company is also holding their own meetings with CSMs and HR to come up with proposals for things that they would like change.

Who makes up the negotiating team?

There are 3 people who comprise the core of the negotiating team. The Business Rep, a full time employee of the union who specializes in contract negotiations, The Local Lodge President, and the Chief Steward of the contract. In addition to the core team, other members are selected from the shop stewards and the membership to assist with bargaining prep and some are chosen to actively participate at the negotiating table.

What happens at the table?

The Union negotiating committee and representatives from the company (which usually includes Company HR, The Labor Relations Manager, and a Corporate Labor Relations person) will meet in a neutral location over the course of several days. The union and company exchange their proposals have some preliminary discussions. The union and the company generally break for a day or 2 to review proposals and develop counterproposals. The union and the company resume discussions and after much back and forth there is a final offer made by either the company or union and a tentative agreement is reached.