How do we get a voice in the workplace?

What is Collective bargaining? Collective bargaining is a process through which members of a bargaining unit negotiate the terms and conditions of their employment. A collective bargaining unit forms when a majority of employees in a job category petition to be represented as a whole in negotiations with the employer, and the government agency responsible (in this case, the Public Employment Relations Board, or PERB) agrees to recognize the petition. Bargainers are chosen, and priorities are set by members of the bargaining unit. Once collective bargaining status is established, the employer is compelled by law to bargain changes it wishes to make in employee treatment and total compensation, including wages, benefits and retirement. By gaining collective bargaining status, you will have the legal right to bargain over your pay, benefits, employment security, health and safety, retirement, and many other issues. It also gives you the ability to negotiate over company policies that affect promotions, job bidding, layoffs, and many other aspects of your and your coworkers' jobs.

How does card check work? By signing the authorization card, you are authorizing SPSE-UPTE-CWA Local 9119, AFL-CIO to be your exclusive bargaining representative for negotiating terms and conditions of employment with your employer. Through PERB, if a majority of employees in an appropriate unit sign cards, then the employer should extend recognition to SPSE to serve as the exclusive bargaining representative without a formal election.

What is a Bargaining Unit? Back in the early 80s, PERB determined unit classifications for the Laboratory. While job classifications and job descriptions have changed considerably since the early 80s, we anticipate that the basic criteria used for determining which jobs are in a unit will stay constant, and we expect that Laboratory wide there could be six units. Each unit is based on job categories with similar interests and work, common skills, working conditions, job duties or similar educational or training requirements. Each unit would determine its own priorities. Each unit would determine what it wanted to include in bargaining. Each unit would negotiate its own contract with the Laboratory.

Will your future at LLNL be better or worse if the new management is free to act and make decisions in the absence of any binding agreement with employees? Many of us think it's important that employees have a voice in how we get treated. The only way to ensure this is through collective bargaining. We have a choice. We can leave it up to the new contractor to dictate our future, or we can have a say in our future. To accept and get a voice, the first step is to sign the authorization card. Then talk to your co-workers and get them to sign as well. We also invite you to join us in our organizing meetings. Please call the SPSE-UPTE office at (925) 449-4846 for more information.

Dion Butts, HVAC-R Mechanic, SPSE Member

"Times have changed for us at LLNL, therefore we must adapt.

We are all in this together."

Read more about Dion Butts.