Bargaining Proposal Meetings and Surveys

Bargaining proposal meetings give workers a space to collectively discuss and set priorities, goals and mandates for bargaining.

• Explain the bargaining in the context of a longer-term plan and vision. Review the contract campaign strategy and key worker and union problems.
• List additional worker and union problems and goals that need to be addressed in the negotiations. If the key worker and union problems are not clear, specify them.

You will have bargaining subjects that need to be raised in addition to the key worker and union problems. You may want to include, for example, problems with current and past written contract proposals, issues that impact underrepresented groups, and benefits to the wider community such as improved public transit, product or service quality, and climate justice. 

If there are informal, casual, subcontracted or unorganised workers, discuss how you might gain support from other more formal workers for their issues. Discuss why it is in the interest of formal workers to improve the conditions of informal and unorganised workers.

• Prioritise the list of problems and subjects for bargaining. 

If helpful, use the “all on the wall” and the “dot prioritising” methods to further prioritise the problems and subjects for bargaining. (Committees ).  

Discuss whether the prioritised issues are deeply and widely felt and what it will take to win with each of them. 

Discuss any issues that might be divisive – why the issue is important and to whom and if and how it will be possible to unite and inform more workers about the issue.

• Discuss and set benchmarks and mandates for negotiations. Review any contract campaign benchmarks and mandates and set additional benchmarks and mandates for bargaining as needed.

Mandates are collectively agreed-upon instructions and parameters from workers for union leaders to follow. Any changes to the collective mandate must be taken back through the collective decision-making process. 

Benchmarks are specific goals that measure levels of workers involvement that we need to meet. 

Sample negotiation benchmarks:

__ % workers at bargaining proposal meetings

__ % workers completing bargaining surveys

__ % workers communicating with 5-7 coworkers (arbolitos)

__ % workers signing a public petition

__ % workers attending lunchtime pickets

__ % workers that are members of the union

__ % workers committed to strike or take industrial action

Sample mandates:           

• Workers will take industrial action if workloads are not reduced.
• Workers will strike if wages are not increased to a minimum of $ 15 an hour.
• Teachers will strike if class size is not reduced to a maximum of 20 children.
• Workers will strike if conditions are worsened or if any worker is worse off.
• Workers will take industrial action if subcontracting occurs.
• Workers will take industrial action if the employer does not provide safety equipment.
• Workers will continue any strike until the employer agrees to reinstate all strikers and drops all strike-related legal charges against workers and the union.

Review your key problems, goals and benchmarks and determine whether any of them should be mandates.

If it is too early to set a mandate, discuss when and if contract campaign mandates may be needed.

• Form or expand Worker Action Networks/Arbolitos and strengthen workplace delegate structures to keep all workers informed and involved during the negotiations.
• Discuss the responsibilities of the bargaining team and review the calendar for bargaining team nominations and election.
• Identify any additional tasks needed to prepare for negotiations and list them along with who will be responsible and by when it will be done.

The following is a sample bargaining survey that you can review and adjust to fit your situation. 

Under our current contract, no workers are required to lift any packages weighing more than 70 lbs without assistance and proper lifting devices. Also, no packages exceeding 150 lbs are allowed. Our fight to win these protections included a one-day job action seven years ago. Despite our victory, our company continues to violate our agreement, putting profits first and our health and safety at risk. How often have you experienced the following violations?                                                                           

                                                                                           Never    Sometimes   Frequently

Improper processing of over-70 lb box                                ☐          ☐         ☐ 

Injury from handling an over-70 lb box                               ☐          ☐         ☐

Supervisor failed to honour request for help                        ☐          ☐         ☐

to handle an over-70 lb package

Lifting device not provided                                                   ☐          ☐        ☐

Over 150 lb package in system                                              ☐          ☐         ☐

Industry standards

If you were Prime Minister and could set new standards for our industry or service sector, identify the three most important industry standards you think would make a real difference to workers/passengers/community/customers?

1.____________________________________________________________

2.____________________________________________________________

3.____________________________________________________________

Bargaining for the common good

Bargaining demands can improve workers’ lives outside of work hours and the communities we live in. 

Survey questions might include issues such as the company’s environmental impact on climate change, community benefits such as housing & community space, public services and transport, housing, libraries and schools, passenger and client safety, or the quality of the product and/or services. 
 

Strike / collective actions

List each of the priority bargaining issues.  For each one, ask “Will you strike (or take collective action) to achieve this claim?”

Note that how workers answer this type of question will change as the contract campaign progresses. The answers will give you an idea of what actions workers will be willing to engage in at this moment.

Increase minimum wages to $ 15 / hour

Will you strike to achieve this demand?  ☐ Yes  ☐No

Reduce class size to a maximum of 20 children

Will you attend a lunchtime picket to achieve this demand? ☐ Yes  ☐No

Will you stop volunteering to help with extracurricular activities to achieve this demand? ☐ Yes  ☐No

Will you strike to achieve this demand?  ☐ Yes  ☐No
 

Other Issues…

What other problems do you think should be raised in negotiations? 

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

Do other workers support you on this issue?  ☐ Yes  ☐No

If so, approximately how many?  ________

Membership and participation

If workers at our companies/workplaces are to have real bargaining power, we need to have a strong union.

What actions are you willing to take to build our bargaining power?

1. Distribute buttons or t-shirts to my co-workers
2. Keep 5-7 of your co-workers informed about bargaining
3. Ask co-workers to sign petitions supporting our bargaining demands
4. Attend lunchtime meetings and events at the workplace
5. Attend evening meetings and rallies
6. Speak to other community organisations and unions about bargaining
7. Assist with researching our bargaining proposals
8. Other ___________________________

Would it help to get a better agreement if we had more union members?

☐ Yes  ☐ No  ☐ Undecided

Do you think we can get a better agreement if we support each others’ issues?

☐ Yes  ☐ No  ☐ Undecided

Are you a union member?  ☐ Yes  ☐No

If not, we will contact you about joining the union.

Will you take lawful industrial action if it is the only way left to get a fair outcome in our agreement?

☐ Yes  ☐ No  ☐ Undecided

Are you a member of, or active in, any community or other organisations that might support us? ___________________________

During the last contract negotiations did you receive enough information?

☐ Yes  ☐ No  ☐ Not applicable