ASP, District 356: Bargaining 101 — Represent. Engage. Connect.

ASP, District 356: Bargaining 101 — Represent. Engage. Connect.

March 24, 2016 at 3:00 PM

In August of this year, the Unifor-ASP collective agreement expires. Within the coming weeks, a writ of election will be sent to the membership at ASP for bargaining committee members who will negotiate the next collective agreement.
 
A collective agreement is the foundation for fairness and respect for our members. Without a union — and a collective agreement — workers are left without a voice in the workplace. Decisions are made by the employer and can be changed at any time by management.
 
Unifor members elect bargaining committees to negotiate collective agreements, with full input from you — the workers. Unifor distributes surveys that ask members to describe key issues of concern and arranges proposal meetings where members can present these issues to the committee to become part of the bargaining proposals. Once a tentative agreement has been reached, you make the final decision to accept the collective agreement. The ratified agreement is applied and policed by elected workplace representatives with support from Local and National representatives assigned to the bargaining unit.
 
This is where you come in.
 
 

Represent

 
In order to protect your rights, the membership needs to be a part of the process, either by becoming a workplace representative, bargaining committee member or by communicating with the union. Participation is key. It is important to complete the survey and attend proposal meetings. These are the tools to send a message to the bargaining committee outlining your individual and collective concerns.
 
First, you need to elect a bargaining committee.
 
The Election Process:
 
  • The writ of election will be posted on the local’s website (www.unifor2002.org) and sent to the membership by email. The writ will include:
     
    1. The election notice, including the number of representatives to be elected, the term of office, the nomination deadline and how to submit a nomination form
    2. The job description
    3. The code of conduct and ethics outlining ethical conduct for candidates
    4. The candidate statement guidelines, which describes what can be included in a statement of qualifications (SOQ) for the position. SOQs will be distributed to the membership prior to voting and will also be available to view with the electronic ballot.
    5. The nomination form. This must be completed fully by the nominee, the nominator and the seconder. All three must sign and date the form.

  • Once the nomination deadline has passed, the notice of nominated or acclaimed candidates will be sent to the membership. If an election is needed, this will include the notice of election with the dates and times of electronic balloting, and the dates and location of workplace balloting.

  • After both electronic and workplace balloting are over, the results will be posted on the local’s website and sent to the membership by email.
 

Engage

 
The bargaining committee is elected, now what?
 
The newly elected bargaining committee meets with their Assistant to the Local President, Theresa Amicarelli, and their assigned National Representative, John O’Dell, to strategize, create a membership survey and schedule proposal meetings.
 
The surveys and concerns addressed at proposal meetings are the building blocks for the proposals the bargaining committee will create. Members who are at the meetings vote on the proposals to decide which ones the bargaining committee will take to negotiations.
 
This is your chance to have your voice heard.
 
Attend proposal meetings and encourage others to attend. The more input from the membership, the more the bargaining committee can be your voice at the table.
 

Connect


Updates on the election and bargaining will be communicated to the membership regularly. To ensure you receive the writ of election and future communications, please make sure you subscribe to Local 2002’s e-news service at www.unifor2002.org.
 
To learn more about the bargaining process download Unifor 2002’s booklet:
Workplace Power: elements of Collective Bargaining
 
For more information, please contact
Theresa Amicarelli, Assistant to the Local President

 
 


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ASP D356: Bargaining 101