Where Things Stand: A Look at the Bargaining Process
The University and CAUSE are negotiating the union鈥檚 first contract. Here鈥檚 an overview of how that process works.
Why it matters: CAUSE is a newly certified bargaining unit. There鈥檚 no existing contract to fall back on, and every stage of this process exists to make sure both sides, and eventually union members themselves, have a say before anything is final.
- The University鈥檚 bargaining team negotiates under the authority granted by the Board of Regents.
- CAUSE is tasked with representing the positions of the employees it represents, including translating any bargaining demands or requests into proposed articles to pass back to University negotiators. To the extent CAUSE disagrees with UA鈥檚 proposals, CAUSE has the ability to revise UA鈥檚 proposals and/or draft counterproposals.
- The CAUSE bargaining representatives are responsible for bringing its members鈥 priorities to the table.
How to make your voice heard: Bargaining unit members should know that they must bring their proposals through the CAUSE bargaining team.
- Since the bargaining unit members elected CAUSE to be their representative, the University cannot directly deal with the members.
- CAUSE members are more than welcome to discuss proposals and bargaining among themselves. However, if another member asks you to raise an issue of bargaining with your supervisor or University leadership, you should direct them back to the CAUSE bargaining team to avoid potential 鈥渄irect dealing鈥.
Zoom in: How proposals are developed during bargaining
Bargaining isn鈥檛 a single offer that either gets accepted or rejected. Proposals go back and forth, get revised, and evolve as both sides learn what matters most to the other. The University proposed an initial contract last week and looks forward to receiving CAUSE鈥檚 response.
- An opening proposal is a starting point for finding out where there鈥檚 room to negotiate. It is not necessarily a ceiling and does not have to begin at or higher than the status quo.
What鈥檚 Negotiable, and What鈥檚 Not: Wages, hours, and working conditions are the core subjects of negotiation.
- Some items are generally considered 鈥渕anagement rights鈥, and employers usually retain the ability to direct operations, manage the workforce, and make other business decisions without the need to bargain them with the Union.
Go Deeper: Learn the basics of the bargaining process here.
Zoom out: Reaching a first contract is often a lengthier-than-expected process, which can be frustrating. Even so, negotiations aren鈥檛 personal; they reflect the University's genuine attempt to understand what staff value, and work towards a balanced, sustainable contract.
- Negotiations move through specific steps until both sides reach an agreement that members and the Board of Regents ratify.
- UA鈥檚 bargaining team is tasked with representing the position of the Board of Regents; CAUSE鈥檚 bargaining team represents the perspectives of all members.
- Any agreement reached with CAUSE must ultimately receive approval from CAUSE membership and the Board.
The bottom line: We recognize this is a challenging moment for a lot of CAUSE members, and that many members are experiencing the collective bargaining process for the first time. Now that the union is certified, the negotiation process has to work its way through until a contract is ratified. UA remains committed to bargaining in good faith.