Bargaining & Negotiating Contracts

Collective Bargaining

Once a workplace has had a certified election, and formed a union, the work of negotiating a contract with the employer through collective bargaining begins.

Collective bargaining is the mechanism or process for an organized group of workers ("labor") and their employer ("management") to pursue mutual agreement over workplace issues.

The results of these labor-management negotiations are contained in the contract, or collective bargaining agreement (CBA). The CBA is a legally enforceable, written contract between a union representing a group of employees ("bargaining unit") and an employer in a workplace.

The new contract, or CBA, can establish:

The structure, leadership and membership of the union
Terms of employment, including shifts, sick leave, vacation leave, and benefits
How to enforce the contract, ie, procedures for filing grievance should the contract be violated