A union contract is a legal document that lists the rights and responsibilities of an employer and union members. Union members are protected under this contract, and changes can only be made after the union representative negotiates directly with the employer. Union contracts cover important matters such as time-off policies, work schedules, benefits, workplace safety protocol and wages.
Instructions
1. Compose the General Statement. The General Statement is the formal statement made by the employer that explains they have decided to adhere to the following contract and will provide copies of this contract to all employees and union representatives in a timely manner. The statement can include a paragraph about how the employer plans to share the contract and related information; this may include references to company bulletin boards, email newsletters or company intranet portals where the contract will be stored.
2. Explain leave time. This section will define exactly what rights employees have to use sick leave, personal leave, compensatory time and paid leave for personal appointments such as legal proceedings and medical appointments. Define exactly how the absences will be tracked on the employee's record and how many days (paid and unpaid) are granted to each employee.
3. Explain work schedules. Define exactly how work schedules will be organized and where they will be posted. This is most relevant for employees who perform shift work; you will need to identify who will be creating the work schedules and where and when they will be posted.
4. Outline benefits. All benefits provided by the employer must be explicitly defined in the union contract. This will include health, vision and dental insurance; any tuition reimbursement or educational assistance programs; and paid time-off benefits that an employee may earn. Health insurance plans and providers can be listed in this section.
5. Define workplace safety protocol. Explain what security procedures have been implemented in the work environment to ensure workplace safety. Identify any training or security programs that every employee must complete in order to maintain workplace safety standards.
6. Explain disciplinary policies. This section identifies the specific procedure for disciplinary action if an employee is subject to discipline or counseling. This will include employer's rights to file police reports or make a statement to a counselor if necessary. The employer must also explain that the employee has the right to union representation when needed.
7. Define wage and payment schedules. List all positions and their wages in a table form. This section may also include when and how employees will be paid for the calendar year.
