Arbitration: A way of settling
disputes by calling in a neutral party whose decision
is final and binding.
Authorization Cards: A union
card filled out by workers during a representation
campaign. The card usually specifies the union as a
collective bargaining agent of the employees and must
be dated and signed. Union agents keep this information
in strict confidence until the union has established
its own percentage required proceeding the campaign.
The NLRB will accept 30% of the employees’ signatures
on cards or petitions as the "showing of interest"
required to conduct an election. Once the union percentage
is reach the NLRB conducts a card check and sets up
the election to take place on the employers’
property. Again, the authorization cards are kept in
strict confidence and the employer will NEVER see the
cards.
Bargaining Agent: Union designated
by a government agency, such as the National Labor
Relations Board, or recognized voluntarily by the employer,
as the exclusive representative of all employees in
the bargaining unit for purposes of collective bargaining.
Bargaining Unit: A group of
workers who bargain collectively with the employer.
The unit may include all the workers in a single plant
or in a number of plants, or it may include only the
workers in a single craft or department. Final unit
is determined by the NLRB, or agreed to jointly by
the union and the employer.
Business Agent: An elected
or appointed representative of the union.
Captive Audience Meeting: A
national recognized term for meetings of workers called
by management, on company time and property. The purpose
of these meetings is to try to persuade workers to
vote against union representation.
Card Check: Procedure whereby
signed authorization cards are checked by a neutral
party against a list of employees in a prospective
bargaining unit to determine if the union has a majority
status. The employer may recognize the union on the
basis of this check without the necessity of a formal
election. The employer NEVER sees these cards.
Collective Bargaining: A process
which workers, through their bargaining committee,
deal as a group to determine wages, hours, and other
conditions of employment. Normally, the result of collective
bargaining is a written contract, which covers all
workers in the bargaining unit.
Concerted Activity: The rights,
protected by the National Labor Relations Act, of two
or more employees to act in concert to effect their
wages, hours of work, or working conditions, to form
, join, or assist labor organizers.
Constitution and Bylaws: Legal
documents governing the administration of local and
international unions. Adopted by union conventions
or by membership vote, these rules generally cover
elections and duties of officers, conventions, committees,
and dues.
Contract: A contract is a
written agreement reached through collective bargaining
which sets forth wages, hours, and other conditions
of employment. The contract normally is for a term
as short as one year and as long as three, but can
be longer. At the end of such a term, a new contract
is negotiated.
Excelsior List: The list of
names and addresses of employees eligible to vote in
a union election. The employer provides it to the union
within ten days after the election date has been set
or agreed upon at the NLRB. Disputes as to the eligibility
of those on the list are settled by the NLRB.
Fees, Fines, and Assessments: Sometimes
authorized by the Constitution or Bylaws, and a vote
of the membership. These payments are in fact extremely
rare.
Grievance: A dispute or difference
arising between the employer and one or more employees.
Grievance Procedure: A systematic
approach to handling workplace problems. The procedure
is negotiated into collective bargaining agreements.
Housevisits, Homecalls, and Housecalls: Terms
used to describe visits by union staff, volunteers,
or organizing committee to the homes of workers they
are attempting to organize.
Jurisdiction: The specific
industry, craft, and/or geographical area which a local
union is chartered to organize or represent.
L-M Reports: The annual financial
statement of income and expenses, including the salaries
of union officers and staff. Unions are required by
law to file with the Labor Management (LM) Division
of the U. S, Department of Labor.
Lockout: A denial of employment
by the employer for the purpose of forcing the workers
to settle on his terms.
National Labor Relations Board
(NLRB): Agency created by the National Labor
Relations Act, 1935, and continued through subsequent
amendment, whose functions are to define the appropriate
bargaining units, to hold elections, to determine
whether a majority of workers want to be represented
by a specific union or no union, to certify unions
to represent employees, to interpret and apply the
Act’s provisions prohibiting certain employer
and union unfair practices, and otherwise to administer
the provisions of the Act.
Officers: Elected representatives
of the union such as president, vice president, secretary/treasurer,
recording secretary, and trustees.
Organizer (Union Organizer): Employee
of a union or federation (usually paid but sometimes
a volunteer) whose duties include recruiting new members
for the union, assisting in forming unions in non-union
companies, leading campaigns for recognition, etc.
Organizing Committee: The
employees in a non-union shop who are designated to
represent their coworkers during the representation
campaign. Organizing committee members, among other
things, usually sign up their coworkers on authorization
cards or petitions, hand out leaflets, attend meetings,
and visit workers at home in support of the union effort.
Picketing: A group of workers
publicly protesting against an employer. Usually done
during a strike in locations where support can be shown
from community members,
Piece Work: Pay buy the number
of units completed. The theory is that the faster you
work, the more you will get paid. Many workers have
learned that if they exceed a certain quota, the piece
rate will be lowered.
Rank and File: The members
of a union.
Ratification: Formal approval
of a newly negotiated agreement by a vote of the union
members affected.
Recognition: When the employer
agrees to recognize the union as the bargaining agent
for employees.
Representation Election (Election): Election
conducted to determine by a majority vote of the employees
in an appropriate unit (see Bargaining Unit) which,
if any, union is desired as their representative. These
elections are usually conducted by the National Labor
Relations Board.
Scab: A universally accepted
derogatory term used for a person who refuses to respect
a strike and crosses a picket line in order to work
at the place that is on strike. You cannot be sued
for declaring such a person a scab.
Seniority: Generally based
on a workers length of service with the employer. Seniority
is often used to determine promotions, recall, and
transfers.
Servicing: The day-to-day
enforcement of a union contract by the union and its
agents.
Shop Steward: A worker, typically
elected, who officially represents other workers on
the job, enforces the contract and helps settle grievances.
Slowdown: A reduction of output
without an actual strike in order to force a concession
from the employer.
Speed-Up and Stretch Out: An
increase in the amount of work an employee is expected
to do without an increase in pay. The speed of the
machines may be increased (speed-up) or the worker
may be required to tend to a greater number of machines
(stretch-out)
Stipulation by Consent Agreement
(stip): An agreement between the employer and
the union, sanctioned by the NLRB, which establishes
the terms of the election and scope of the bargaining
unit.
Strike: Temporary stoppage
of work by a group of employees to express a grievance,
enforce a demand for changes in the conditions of employment,
obtain recognition, or resolve a dispute with management.
Unfair Labor Practice: Action
by either an employer or union which violates the provisions
of national and state labor relations acts, such as
refusal to bargain in good faith.
Union Dues: Monthly or weekly
payments by members to their unions. The amount is
set by either the constitution or bylaws, and is subject
to revision by the membership. These regular payments
are based on fixed amounts or upon the individual members’ hourly
rate.
Union Label or Bug: A stamp
or tag on a product or card in a store or shop to show
that the work is done by union labor.
Union Local: Group of organized
employees holding a charter from a national or international
labor organization. A local may be confined to union
members in one company or one specified locality, or
it may cover multiple contracts with various employers.
Volunteer Organizing Committee
(V.O.C.): Term sometimes used to describe union
members who volunteer for the union during organizing
campaigns. Volunteers may donate their time and/or
be compensated for lost wages while they assist the
campaign by visiting workers at their homes, leafleting,
and attending meetings.
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