Article XI - Collective Bargaining

  1. Prior to the opening of nominations for unit bargaining committees, the Local Executive Committee shall decide the maximum number of members of the unit's bargaining committee who may be reimbursed by the Local for lost wages for the purposes of bargaining, subject to the requirement that each major department be entitled to a representative or representatives with the goal of fair, equitable and practical representation of departments on the unit bargaining committee.

    1. Negotiators in collective bargaining on behalf of the Local or any of its units shall be elected by members of the unit concerned. The chief negotiator shall be the President or his or her designate from outside the unit membership, as approved by the Local Executive Committee.

    2. The nominations for unit bargaining committees shall be made at unit meetings, except that where separate departmental contracts exist or where a vacancy occurs on the bargaining committee, they may be made at departmental meetings. At least 15 days' notice shall be given of such meetings.

    3. Departmental representatives shall be nominated and elected by members of the department to which the nominees belong, or through a vote of the general membership unit.

    4. Bargaining committees may be elected at any time for caucus or pattern bargaining and again for negotiating of the unit contract.

    5.  

      1. Elections shall be by mailed-in ballot, onsite voting or electronic voting when less than 20 percent of the relevant membership is present at the unit meeting.

      2. Elections shall be at the unit meeting or by mailed-in ballot, onsite voting or electronic voting, at the discretion of the membership when more than 20 percent of the relevant membership is present at the meeting.

    1. Any agreement arrived at in negotiations shall be submitted to the membership of the unit or units concerned for approval. Before signing, it shall require ratification also by the Executive Committee of the Local.

    1. The Executive Committee shall have the authority to recommend approval for strike action in accordance with the Unifor constitution.

    1. The Representative Council shall have the authority to set policy on eligibility and level of strike pay and health & welfare benefits provided the policy meets the minimum requirements under the Unifor constitution.

    2. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Representative Council may increase strike pay up to 100% of the usual amount in the event of a strike related to the establishment or defense of chain bargaining.

    3. Further without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Representative Council may utilize the Local defense fund to reimburse or maintain the income of members employed on a sales commission basis where that income is negatively affected by the union’s authorized strike-related action.