A Union Contract is an agreement between the employer and the employees (us). It sets the wages that will be paid for each job. It lists the holidays and the terms of vacations. It guarantees such things as insurance and pensions. It sets up a system of seniority and provides an orderly plan for settlement of complaints or grievances.

The contract also provides for such things as sick leave, jury duty, funeral leave, military service, hours of work, overtime, safety regulations, conditions of employment and benefits we shall receive.

Union contracts are alike in principle but they vary from plant to plant to suit both local conditions and the desires of the employees.

So, one of the first things that we and our fellow workers will do after our Unit  is set up, will be to call a meeting to start on our contract. We will have a contract negotiating committee made up of our peers.

We then will be free to make requests and suggestions as to what we want in our contract. With the help of an experienced IBEW Local representative, our negotiating committee will then put these requests into a written "Contract Proposal". The committee will then get feedback from fellow workers at a meeting to approve the proposal before it is submitted to management.

The committee, again with the help of the IBEW representatives, will then go into negotiations with the officials of the Company. The Company will probably have proposals of their own. Our committee will negotiate with the company representatives until they have the best deal they can get.

The committee will then come back to us, the Membership and we will vote on the final offer to determine if it is approved (ratified) or not approved (turned down). No contract can be signed until it has been ratified by majority vote of the Membership of our unit in a secret ballot vote.