A labor union* is an association of workers recognized by law, who have joined together to protect their rights in the workplace and to influence their working conditions. Typically, the rights workers have and the wages they will receive are contained in a written agreement called a union contract. This contract is an agreement between management and labor that lasts for a certain period of time. When the number of years ends, a new contract should be negotiated.

Collective Bargaining - Who's at the Table?
The process of negotiation that results in a union contract is called collective bargaining.* The basic categories of people involved in collective bargaining are management and labor. Of course, each union sends its own representatives to the bargaining table to negotiate on behalf of its members. There are any number of topics that could be included in a collective bargaining agreement. These include salary ranges, job descriptions, seniority, wages and hours, benefits, grievances, and disciplinary procedures, some of which are also covered by state law.

Wages and Hours
Wage and hour provisions are pretty much the heart of a union contract. These provisions spell out how many hours an employee must work to earn a certain income. They also spell out how much an employee will be entitled to receive if she or he works overtime, that is, more hours than the standard work week. Many union contracts contain a salary/wage schedule. As an employee spends more years on the job, gains more experience, or completes higher educational requirements, she or he will move from step to step, increasing her or his income along the way.

Work Responsibilities
Job descriptions that spell out exactly what each employee is required to do are formulated by management, not by unions. On the other hand, a union contract may state what tasks employees in different job titles cannot be asked to do.

Seniority
Seniority* is another key feature in many union contracts. Usually seniority is within a job title. Seniority provisions allow long-term employees to retain their jobs during periods of budget cuts, layoffs, or other employee cutbacks, over newer employees who have fewer years on the job. Seniority provisions also determine who will have the first opportunity to apply for job openings. More often than not, the employee with greatest seniority has the strongest chance to obtain the job.

Grievance Procedures
Grievance provisions set forth the means by which employees can file complaints alleging violations of the contract. He or she may allege that because the contract has been violated, he or she has been treated unfairly or suffered some form of discrimination. Usually the procedure involves a written complaint, followed by several hearings. If no satisfactory result is reached, the complaint may go to arbitration for a final decision.

** We strongly believe that the only way for a union to be effective to is to be run democratically among workers. We acknowledge that there is a strong existence of company and state controlled unions around the world and so we only support democratic labor unions.

For more info on labor unions, visit AFL-CIO.