Contracts
One major advantage of belonging to a union is being able to bargain collectively for better wages, fringe benefits and working conditions. The Contracts Department is responsible for administering the legal agreements that give Local 3 members this invaluable benefit.
The department maintains a state-of-the-art computerized database that administers agreements and memorandums of understanding for more than 5,000 employers. Contract language is coded so that language on any specific bargaining issue can be sorted and compared to see what has been used in other contracts and to select language that is most applicable for the contract in question.
The Contracts Department manager not only oversees the entire department but drafts contract language, assists in contract negotiations, interprets contract language, participates in some arbitrations, consults with other Local 3 attorneys and advises officers and business agents.
To keep track of all the agreements, the department’s staff uses computer-database software that indicates, among other things, when contracts expire, when contract openers begin and how much the employer pays into Health and Welfare. The computer program allows contract language to be coded so that wording on any specific bargaining issue can be sorted and compared to see what has been used in other contracts and selects language that would be most applicable for the contract being negotiated.
All of this professional expertise in contract law and administration is helping Local 3 members stay one step ahead of the collective bargaining process.