Unit 8
What is bargaining?
Bargaining is the process you undertake through your union to reach a collective agreement with your employer to determine your working conditions. It is an opportunity to negotiate your terms of employment, address workplace challenges, or protect the conditions you currently enjoy.
Now that we have certified, the real work begins: building our first ever collective agreement!
That work starts with you. Please take a few minutes to fill out the Unit 8 Bargaining Survey. Your voice matters. By sharing your experiences with the Unit 8 Bargaining Committee you will help establish our shared priorities for this important round of bargaining.
Bargaining Committee
The Bargaining Committee (BC) is the committee which sits down with the employer to negotiate the next tentative agreement. The BC is composed of the Local president (or designate), the unit vice-president, one staff member, and a number of rank-and-file members determined by the size of the unit. The BC is specifically tasked with developing contract proposals, sitting at the negotiation table across from management, responding to employer proposals, and reaching tentative agreements.
Bargaining Support Committee
The Bargaining Support Committee (BSC) is responsible for organizing among the membership, the University, and the community in support of the Local’s aims in bargaining. Each bargaining unit has a BSC, which works with the unit’s Bargaining Team and the Local to develop and implement a plan for organizing around a round of bargaining. The Bargaining Support Committee has been preparing for potential strike action and has transitioned into the Strike Committee.
Get Involved with Unit 8 Bargaining!
When we work together, we win what we deserve. To get the best possible collective agreement for Research Associates and Senior Research Associates we need members of Unit 8 to participate in our bargaining campaign. We are currently recruiting Stewards. Stewards are the key to a well-organized local! They must be organizers, leaders, recruiters, and strategists, as well as curious, supportive, and motivated. Stewards make up the Bargaining Support Committee (BSC).
To get involved, contact Unit 8 Lead Steward Catharine Mielnik, u8leadsteward@cupe3902.org.