Photo taken prior to COVID-19 pandemic.
Collective bargaining is the process of negotiation between employees and their employer over wages, working conditions, benefits, and other aspects of workers’ compensation and rights. A team of our co-workers — from the union membership — sits down and hammers out an agreement known as a “union contract” on issues of concern to our bargaining unit. The bargaining team sits at the bargaining table as equals with management but reports back to our broader Bargaining Delegation who in turn reports to the membership. The majority of members must approve the tentative agreement before it can become accepted as a contract. 2022 brings the opportunity for our union to bargain again.
In 2021 we extended our contract but continued to respond to changes in the workplace. We pushed the County to provide Frontline Worker Pay, accomplished selective salary market adjustment increases for a number of job classifications, and demanded to bargain over new county policies regarding telework and the vaccine mandate.
Robin Davis and Michael Graham, leaders in Local 88, are developing Member Action Teams (MAT) for all union members. A MAT is a great way to connect with your union to learn more and share opinions. MAT’s play an important communication role during collective bargaining, by receiving and sharing information between union members and the bargaining team. To learn more about Local 88 MATs go to the Local 88 website.
