Forming Our Bargaining Committee
Our first collective bargaining agreement will expire August 31st, 2027, so it’s now time to nominate members for election to our bargaining committee. Here’s a little about what a bargaining committee is and what role the committee plays in securing our next contract.
Bargaining Overview
Membership forms a Bargaining Committee via a nomination form.
The committee gathers information via a bargaining survey on what members want to see in a new contract and develops an initial proposal.
The committee presents the proposal to management and bargains on the contract language.
When the committee approves of a counterproposal by management, they reach a tentative agreement.
The committee presents the tentative agreement to the membership.
Membership votes on whether to ratify the contract or not.
If ratified, the new contract begins at the stated date.
If not ratified, the committee goes back to the bargaining table.
Bargaining Committee Responsibilities
The primary responsibility of the committee is to negotiate our next collective bargaining agreement with management’s representatives. Election to the committee obligates each member to represent and fight for the best possible contract for all members of the unit. It is important to note that being on the bargaining committee is a significant time commitment outside of work hours.
The committee will meet both online and in person throughout the process, including preparation meetings, in-person bargaining, debriefs, membership informational sessions, etc. While the committee will strive for most meetings to be in-person, some may need to be held via phone or Zoom.
The amount of time required of the committee each week varies, but it usually is at least an hour or two a week in preparation, and much more during actual bargaining where sessions can be many hours. Most of the required meetings will take place during evenings and possibly some on weekends.
Specific Responsibilities
The committee includes rank-and-file elected representatives as well as at-large seats with a diversity, equity, and inclusion focus. The goal is to have all departments, part-time and full-time, hourly and salaried employees adequately represented. The committee also includes an AFSCME Council 31 Regional Director and Staff Representative—these members train the committee. At all times, the committee is assisted by these experienced negotiators who also participate as spokespeople in the negotiations with management’s representatives.
The committee determines bargaining goals by utilizing surveys, referencing contracts from peer institutions, and membership feedback/listening sessions. After reviewing these materials, the committee develops and presents contract proposals to management’s representatives.
The committee will bargain upward from the current contract, building on what we have negotiated in the past.
Committee members attend negotiation sessions with management as well as Union caucuses and meetings in order to advance AICWU’s bargaining agenda.
The committee assesses, analyzes, and responds to management bargaining proposals and develops counter proposals.
The committee keeps the membership informed and educated about the general tone and tenor of negotiations through our MAT structure and any developed sub-committees. As elected representatives, the committee members keep constant communication with members through bargaining bulletins/newsletters, established communication chains (Signal, phone trees, etc.), and membership meetings.
If necessary, the committee organizes membership actions, such as rallies or protests outside of the bargaining session, to win a strong contract.
The committee makes recommendations to the membership on whether to approve a contract or take other necessary actions (e.g. pressure campaigns, direct action, etc.).
Remember, committee members should assume that the time commitment will be significant. Note that the schedule of bargaining itself is subject to negotiation with management’s representatives.
Interested in being part of the bargaining committee, but not sure if you qualify? You probably do! There are many roles that the bargaining committee plays in securing our contract and they each require different skills. Take a look below to see another breakdown of the various roles that make up the bargaining committee.
The Various Roles of the Bargaining Committee
Unifiers: We must remain unified once decisions are reached in the caucus. A fractured committee leads to a divided membership and undermines our ability to get a good contract.
Communicators: Bargaining committee members communicate what’s happening to their coworkers. These are not secret negotiations and it is important to keep the full membership informed about the “big picture.”
Work Site Organizers: Bargaining committee members play a leadership role in any worksite activities during negotiations, e.g. button days or informational picket lines.
Experts: Bargaining committee members are the experts on workplace issues of vital concern to you and your colleagues. The chief negotiator relies on the committee’s problem-solving skills to plot the best strategy for dealing with workplace issues during negotiations.
Leaders: Bargaining committee members are leaders, not messengers, and are counted on to provide leadership and direction. Bargaining committee members should not come locked into positions (e.g., “I was told not to come back with less than a 5% raise”). Their job is to negotiate and get the best deal we can (and we may have to compromise to get a deal).
Decision Makers: The committee decides on proposals and counter-proposals and, ultimately, on the entire tentative agreement before it is submitted to the full membership for ratification.
Ratifiers: During the contract ratification process, bargaining committee members help explain contract provisions and convey the reasons behind them to the full membership.